The African continent is shown to contain only 38 species in the lichen family Pannariaceae, all of which are listed in the conclusion. Four new species are described: Pannaria planiuscula (Republic of South Africa [RSA] and Kenya), Pannaria squamulosa (RSA), Parmeliella dactylifera (RSA), and Parmeliella triptophylloides (Kenya). Four species are recorded as new to the continent: Pannaria centrifuga P.M. Jørg. (RSA), Pannaria ramosii Vain. (Tanzania), Parmeliella imbricatula (Müll. Arg.) P. M. Jørg. (RSA), and Psoroma fruticulosum James & Henssen (RSA). The following taxa described from Africa prove to be synonyms: Pannaria cameroonensis Dodge (=Parmeliella stylophora), Pannaria capensis Stirt. (= P. lurida), Pannaria leucosticta var. isidiopsis Nyl. (= P. globigera), Pannaria pityrella Stirt. (= Coccocarpia stellata), and Pannaria thoroldii Dodge (= Parmeliella mariana). Three species have been incorrectly recorded from Africa: Pannaria fulvescens, Parmeliella nigrocincra and Parmeliella triptophylla.