Thallus: umbilicate, usually monophyllous, +circular, rigid, 1-3(-6) cm in diam.; upper surface: medium to dark brown, smooth to strongly verrucose; medulla: white; lower surface: pale brown to almost black, often with cavities; Apothecia: common, black, adnate to sessile, gyrose, up to 2 mm in diam.; asci: clavate, 8-spored; ascospores: hyaline, simple, ellipsoid, 8-15 x 4-8 µm; Spot tests: medulla K-, C+ red, KC+ red, P-; Secondary metabolites: gyrophoric, lecanoric and umbilicaric acids.; Substrate and ecology: on siliceous rocks, often on fairly horizontal surfaces on small or larger boulders or cliff outcrops, usually snow-covered in winter; World distribution: Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia; Sonoran distribution: scattered, mostly in the boreal to alpine vegetation zone of the high peaks of Arizona, California, and Baja California.; Notes: Umbilicaria hyperborea is often confused with U. nylanderiana, but the latter species always have single-celled thalloconidia in patches or covering the entire lower surface. 

Canada

Origin: Unknown/Undetermined

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

Reasons: This lichen species is widespread and is the most common member of the genus in the Pacific Northwest. It occurs throughout the Pacific Northwest except on the coast (McCune and Geiser 1997).