The new species Lichenostigma svandae is described. It is known exclusively from Acarospora cervina, where it forms black stromatic hyphal strands and black sack-shaped ascomata on the host thallus surface. It is similar to L. elongatum and L. rouxii, but differs in a few characters. A short overview of the known Lichenostigma species is provided.

Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear (Mcm7, nrITS, nrLSU) and mitochondrial (mrSSU) DNA sequences revealed geographically disjunct lineages in Leptogium hibernicum. One of these lineages is described here as Leptogium krogiae, which differs from L. hibernicum in the thinner thallus (190–210 µm vs. 390–480 µm), shallowly striate lobes instead of deeply furrowed lobes, isidia that are seldom distinctly flattened, and apothecia with a subhymenial euparaplectenchymatous layer. Leptogium krogiae is a widespread epiphyte in mist-affected woodlands and montane forests in East Africa and appears to be a common species.

The new species, Polysporina frigida Kantvilas & Seppelt is described and illustrated. It is the first record of this genus from the Antarctic continent.

The foliicolous lichenized fungus Calopadia erythrocephala Farkas, Elix & Flakus, is described as new to science from the Atlantic submontane rainforests in Brazil. The species is very similar to C. puiggarii, but is distinguished by the presence of a red pigment in the campylidia, the darker apothecial discs and larger conidia. Fusarubin, the red pigment produced by the new species, is reported for the first time from foliicolous lichens. A world-wide key to foliicolous species of Calopadia with single, muriform ascospores is presented.

The new lichenicolous fungus, Gelatinopsis leptogii, is described from Belgium and Germany, where it grows on Leptogium byssinum. It differs from G. ericetorum, which grows on Dibaeis, in the shorter and broader ascospores and different ascomatal pigments, and from G. roccellae, which grows on Roccella, in the shorter ascospores and larger ascomata.

This is the first part of an ongoing taxonomic treatment of Bunodophoron (Sphaerophoraceae, Lecanorales) in the Neotropics, based on the molecular phylogenetic analysis of three markers together with studies of morphology and chemistry, and using the general mixed Yule coalescence (GMYC) method to delimit species boundaries. In the Neotropics, species in this genus grow on the ground or on shrubs in the páramos, and as epiphytes in the montane rainforests. We describe here a new species from the páramos of Colombia, Bunodophoron crespoae Soto, M. Prieto & Wedin sp. nov., and discuss its distinction from another large and common páramo species Bunodophoron flabellatum (Hue) Soto, M. Prieto & Wedin comb. nov. Both species are primarily terrestrial in the páramos, although B. flabellatum may occasionally also grow as an epiphyte. Bunodophoron crespoae is characterized by the white, c. 10–13 cm long, subterete to narrowly flattened, main branches. It differs from the otherwise similar B. flabellatum by being distinctly subterete, more abundantly branched, and by having smaller ascospores. Both are distinguished from the primarily epiphytic B. melanocarpum by the considerably larger thallus size, with the main branches of B. melanocarpum rarely exceeding 3·5 cm in length and 2 mm in width.

Acarospora brodoana K. Knudsen, Kocourk. & M. Westb. is described from the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California. A black hypothecium distinguishes it from other species with a carbonized epihymenium. Sarcogyne albothallina K. Knudsen, Wheeler & M. Westb. is described from the Missouri Breaks in Montana. A white non-farinose thallus and production of 4-O-methylhiascic acid distinguishes it from other species with a carbonized epihymenium. Both species would previously have been placed in Polysporina. The current reported diversity of Acarosporaceae in North America north of Mexico is 93 species.

Three species of the family Teloschistaceae (lichenized Ascomycota) are described as new to science from Southern and Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Corticolous Caloplaca saviczii belongs to the genus Caloplaca s. str.; it has C. cerina-like apothecia and green to grey-green, crateriform soralia with a white rim. Lendemeriella aureopruinosa is a saxicolous taxon with a thin grey thallus and small apothecia 0.3–0.6 mm in diameter, with a dark orange disc usually bearing epipsamma and often with a grey true exciple containing the pigment Cinereorufa-green. Orientophila infirma is a corticolous species with an endophloeodal thallus and small orange apothecia, 0.2–0.3 mm in diameter, usually with an inconspicuous thalline exciple. All new taxa presumably have a boreal north-eastern distribution in Asia.

Xanthoparmelia perezdepazii from the Canary Islands is described as new to science. It is characterized by an isidiate upper surface, the presence of usnic, constipatic and protoconstipatic acids in the medulla and a brown lower surface.

Heterocyphelium is a mazaediate genus containing a single species, H. leucampyx. The species was originally described from Cuba within the genus Trachylia (Arthoniales, Arthoniaceae) and later placed in various genera of the collective order Caliciales s. lat. For the past three decades, Heterocyphelium was considered an orphaned genus (incertae sedis) within the Ascomycota, since morphology alone could not resolve its systematic position. In this study, we added molecular data with the aim of resolving this uncertainty. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses of newly generated sequence data from the mitochondrial ribosomal RNA small subunit (mtSSU) and the RNA polymerase II second largest subunit gene (RPB2) provide clear evidence that Heterocyphelium leucampyx is nested within the order Arthoniales, in the family Lecanographaceae, sister to the genus Alyxoria. Heterocyphelium is a further example of parallel evolution of passive spore dispersal, prototunicate asci and the occurrence of a mazaedium in the Ascomycota, and another calicioid genus whose systematic placement could be eventually clarified by means of molecular data. Heterocyphelium is the fourth mazaediate genus in Arthoniales, in addition to Sporostigma, Tylophorella and Tylophoron.

Changes in foliicolous lichen populations of the shrub Wilkiea macrophylla in rainforest at Mt Glorious (south-east Queensland) were observed in the field for 3 years. Leaves successively distal from the twig apices were treated as a chronosequence for lichen successional studies. Five species of lichen each colonized more than 50° 0 of the leaves, and leaves successively distal from the apex showed increasing mean species number. Lichen cover rose until the seventh most distal leaf from the first colonized leaf along a twig, reaching 52%. More distal (older) leaves had apparently lower cover. Different lichen species show different instantaneous colonization rates that vary with time. The sequence of lichen colonization and subsequent community composition is best described by a ‘Tolerance’ model of succession if a single leaf is selected as the unit or with a ‘Chronic Disturbance’ model if a leaf population is considered.

Five corticolous taxa of sorediate Ramalinae which occur in the tropics and subtropics are shown to comprise the tropical component of the otherwise temperate Ramalina farinacea complex. Their morphology, anatomy, chemistry, ecology and distribution are discussed. Ramalina pacifica Asah., R. nervulosa (Müll. Arg.) des Abb., R. dumeticola Krog & Swinscow and R. luciae Mohlo et al., were investigated together with an unnamed acid-deficient taxon. Ramalina nervulosa and R. pacifica are maintained as species while the remainder are considered as varieties of these species; viz. R. nervulosa var. dumeticola (Krog & Swinscow) comb. nov., R. nervulosa var. luciae (Mohlo et al.) comb. nov., and R. pacifica var. inacida var. nov.

Gloeoheppia is re-established as a separate taxon; the genus differs from Heppia in apothecial development and thallus structure. Gloeoheppia and the related genera Gudelia Henssen and Pseudopeltula Henssen described here are placed in the new family Gloeoheppiaceae in the Lichinales. In habit, the genera of Gloeoheppiaceae resemble species of Heppia and Peltula, whereas in apothecial development they correspond to some extent to the Lichinaceae. The species Gloeoheppia polyspora Henssen, Gloeoheppia rugosa Henssen, Pseudopeltula dicyanophora Henssen, Pseudopeltula heppioides Henssen, Pseudopeltula myriocarpa Henssen and Gudelia mexicana Henssen, are described for the first time. In Gloeoheppiaceae the thalli are ecorticate and the hyphae reticulately branched. The prototunicate asci contain eight, or up to 16, colourless and simple, occasionally two-celled spores. In species of Pseudopeltula, the apothecia are of a complex structure. The cyanobionts are small and single-celled; in P. dicyanophora ‘ internal cephalodia ’ with an additional, filamentous cyanobiont are formed. Lectotypes are designated for Endocarpon turgidum Ach. and Heppia furva Hue in Patouill.

The new crustose lichen genus Tasmidella, containing the species, T. variabilis sp. nov with two varieties, var. variabilis and var. inactiva var. nov., is described. Tasmidella is most closely related to Megalaria, from which it differs chiefly by having simple ascospores with a layered wall. Relationships with superficially similar genera are discussed. A revised circumscription of the family Megalariaceae is provided to take into account the inclusion of a second genus.

The new combination Stereocaulon plicatile (Leight.) Fryday & Coppins is made for a previously enigmatic crustose lichen with submuriform ascospores; the basionym, Lecidea plicatilis Leight., was previously misapplied to a norsticticacid containing species of Rhizocarpon. The systematic position of the crustose Stereocaulon leucophaeopsis group is discussed.

Mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase [EC 1.1.1.17] activity was demonstrated in extracts of Pseudevernia furfuracea and Hypogymnia physodes. The reaction was found to be highly substrate specific for fructose-6-phosphate/NADH or mannitol-1-phosphate/NAD+. The pH optimum for fructose-6-phosphate reduction was 7.1, and apparent Km values were 1.2 mM for fructose-6-phosphate and 20 μM for NADH. The reaction did not require Mg++ or Ca++. For conversion of mannitol-1-phosphate into mannitol, the occurrence of mannitol-1-phosphatase in Pseudevernia furfuracea is postulated.