Distribution: Washington; Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado; Northern and northwestern Canadian provinces.
Habitat: Among heath in alpine and arctic habitats.
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Thallus brownish-red and spiny, forming cushions. Branches rounded or angular, up to 2 mm in width, longitudinally grooved or ridged, with deep, broad pseudo cyphellae up to 0.6 mm long and 0.3 mm in width.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Cetraria aculeata in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
CalPhotos: Cetraria aculeata photos