Lobarina scrobiculata (better known as Lobaria scrobiculata) is a widespread lichen, threatened and Red-Listed in various European countries. Microsatellite markers for the mycobiont of L. scrobiculata were developed in order to investigate its genetic diversity in the Iberian Peninsula and Europe and to design effective conservation strategies. A total of 7 polymorphic markers were isolated and characterized. These microsatellites were tested in natural populations found in the Iberian Peninsula. The number of observed alleles ranged from 3 to 8, and the Nei's unbiased gene diversity from 0·26 to 0·59. These microsatellite markers are the first to be developed for L. scrobiculata and they will be useful for population studies and for the assessment of the conservation status of this species.

Allocetraria yunnanensis R. F. Wang, X. L. Wei & J. C. Wei is described as a new species from the Yunnan Province of China, and is characterized by having a shiny upper surface, strongly wrinkled lower surface, and marginal pseudocyphellae present on the lower side in the form of a white continuous line or spot. The phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA ITS sequences suggests that the new species is related to A. sinensis X. Q. Gao.

Amandinea lobarica, a new corticolous lichen species, is described from high elevations in Guatemala. It is characterized by a thin, granulose, brownish thallus containing lobaric acid, small, convex lecideine apothecia, filiform conidia and large, narrowly ellipsoid ascospores with roughly ornamented walls. The new species is compared with other Buellia s. lat. taxa that possess rather large and strongly ornamented ascospores, such as Buellia hypothallina, here placed in synonymy with Gassicurtia vaccinii, Amandinea leucomela, A. mediospora, A. megaspora, A. subduplicata and five very closely related taxa treated here as belonging to the Amandinea incrustans group. Two tables summarizing the main differences between these species and a key are provided. New data on the chemistry of A. leucomela and a new record of A. montana for Guatemala are also included.

Hypogymnia papilliformis McCune, Tchabanenko & X. L.Wei is described as a new species of lichenized fungus from the Primorsky region of Russia and Shaanxi Province in China. It is a relatively rare species from mixed conifer-broadleaved forests in suboceanic climates, in mountainous areas at elevations of 600–1500 m. Most similar to H. delavayi, the species are distinguished by branching pattern and chemistry. Hypogymnia papilliformis is predominantly isotomically branched while H. delavayi usually develops subpinnate branching. The ceiling of the lobe cavity is mid brown to dark brown in H. papilliformis, while the ceiling is often pale brownish or white in H. delavayi. Also, H. papilliformis lacks 3-hydroxyphysodic acid, and thus has a K– medulla, while H. delavayi always contains 3-hydroxyphysodic acid as a major substance and is thus K+ slowly reddish brown. We provide a key to the six esorediate Hypogymnia species known from the Russian Far East.

The type specimens of Synarthonia bicolor and S. stigmatidialis were examined, leading the authors to revise their descriptions as well as the generic description. Also, two new species of Synarthonia, viz. S. psoromica and S. sikkimensis are described from India. Synarthonia psoromica, collected from the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, is characterized by immersed synascomata and the presence of psoromic acid. Synarthonia sikkimensis, collected from Sikkim-Himalaya, is characterized by the sorediate thallus with a rhizomorph-like prothallus. These distinguishing characters are observed for the first time in Synarthonia. After considering the protologue of the recently described S. sarcographoides, a comprehensive account of this genus is made. In addition, a world key to all known species of Synarthonia is provided.

Changes in the functional traits of the terricolous lichen Peltigera aphthosa with declining soil fertility during ecosystem retrogression were investigated. A well-documented retrogressive chronosequence of 28 forested islands in northern Sweden that differ greatly in fire history and which spans 5000 years was used. The abundance of cephalodia increased, indicative of higher N2-fixation rates resulting from lower N availability. Thallus δ13C values increased with ageing soils, in line with declining δ13C values of the humus substratum along this gradient. However, δ13C values were also driven by variation in factors that were at least partly independent of soil ageing. As such, δ13C values were mostly related to specific thallus mass (STM), possibly because a higher STM gives a thicker cortical layer and thus greater resistance to CO2 diffusion, leading to higher δ13C values. STM and other measured traits (i.e. thallus N, P, secondary compounds and water-holding capacity) were unresponsive to the gradient, despite these traits being very responsive to the same gradient in epiphytic lichen species.

Molecular inferences of three loci within a phylogenetic framework of a subset of the Pannariaceae confirm that the genus Kroswia is nested within the genus Fuscopannaria. The formal combination of the type species of Kroswia into Fuscopannaria is therefore made here, and Kroswia is reduced into synonymy with the latter genus.

One new species and six new records of the crustose lichenized genus Graphis are reported from Thailand. Graphis koratensis Pitakpong, Kraichak & Lücking sp. nov. is characterized by lirelline ascocarps with whitish grey or grey-green pruina along the slit, transversely septate ascospores, and the presence of norstictic acid. Phylogenetic analyses with two loci (mtSSU and nuLSU) show the distinct position of this new species within the genus. Six new records for Thailand are reported, including G. cincta (Pers.) Aptroot, G. jejuensis K. H. Moon et al., G. nigrocarpa Adaw. & Makhija, G. renschiana (Müll. Arg.) Stizenb., G. seminuda Müll. Arg., and G. subserpentina Nyl.

Bryoria araucana sp. nov. is described from Chile on the basis of morphological, chemical and molecular data. It has a grey to dark greyish brown pendent thallus with the base usually black, branching angles mainly obtuse, terminal branches with few lateral branchlets acutely inserted, fumarprotocetraric acid, and often protocetraric and confumarprotocetraric acids. It is morphologically similar to the Northern Hemisphere B. trichodes, but lacks soralia and has inconspicuous concolorous or slightly darker pseudocyphellae. Bryoria glabra is also reported for the first time from the Southern Hemisphere. New phylogenetic data based on ITS, mtSSU and MCM7 analyses suggest that Bryoria sect. Bryoria is polyphyletic and needs revision.

The phylogenetic position of the genus Pseudoparmelia was addressed using molecular data from five loci (mtSSU, nuLSU, ITS, Mcm7, RPB1), generated from three species and aligned with sequences from 293 samples representing all major clades of Parmeliaceae. Pseudoparmelia species form a well-supported monophyletic group that is the sister group of a clade consisting of the genera Relicina and Relicinopsis. These three genera share a thallus with a pored epicortex, isolichenan as cell wall polysaccharide, and relatively small ascospores. Morphological and chemical characters that distinguish Pseudoparmelia from the closely related Relicina and Relicinopsis are discussed. To further elucidate the relationships of these three genera, we assembled a second dataset including 15 additional samples of Relicina and Relicinopsis using three loci (mtSSU, nuLSU, ITS). All three genera are monophyletic but monophyly of Relicina lacks support and, in the mtSSU single locus tree, the genus is paraphyletic with Relicinopsis nested within. Additional studies including more Relicina species are necessary to test delimitation of the genera Relicina and Relicinopsis.

The new corticolous lichen species Bactrospora angularis is described from Brazil. It has apothecia that are usually irregular in outline and transversely (19–)28–35-septate, filiform ascospores (85–)120–150 × 5–7 μm with some constrictions. A revised world key is given to all currently known species of Bactrospora.

The lichenicolous fungi Endococcus cladiae Zhurb. & Pino-Bodas, Lichenopeltella soiliae Zhurb. & Pino-Bodas and Lichenosticta hoegnabbae Zhurb. & Pino-Bodas are described as new to science from New Zealand growing on podetia of Cladia species. In addition to their host selection, Endococcus cladiae is distinguished by its ascospore size, (9·9–)11·5–14·1(–15·7) × (2·7–)3·1–3·9(–4·6) μm, Lichenopeltella soiliae by ascomata without ostiolar setae and production of 4-spored asci and 1-septate ascospore, occasionally with three pairs of setulae, and Lichenosticta hoegnabbae by comparatively long, bacilliform to fusiform conidia, (7·8–)9·1–10·9(–12·6) × (1·9–)2·1–2·3(–2·7) μm. Niesslia cladoniicola is reported for the first time from Australasia on C. aggregata in New Zealand. A key to the lichenicolous fungi growing on Cladia is provided.

Molecular studies have shown that Psoromidium is well separated from Psoromaria and Degeliella, when including the type species only. The latter generic name is illegitimate and the correct name for the other species sometimes included in Psoromidium is shown to be Psoromaria versicolor (Müll. Arg.) P. M. Jørg. & H. L. Andersen, comb. nov. It is the type species of the genus Psoromaria Nyl. ex Hue. The inclusion of Degeliella rosulata in Psoromaria is unresolved, according to the molecular evidence. However, its characters (except the photobiont) match those of Psoromaria, rather than those of the other species with which it groups. So for nomenclature reasons it is transferred to this genus, as Psoromaria rosulata (P. M. Jørg. & D. J. Galloway) P. M. Jørg. & H. L. Andersen comb. nov.

Very little is known about how growth is distributed within thalli of fruticose lichens. To determine whether mature, non-apical regions of the beard lichen Ramalina usnea elongate, segments of the broadest axes were marked with thread and measured; thalli were then returned to the field to resume growth for about one year. Growth was evident in all segments measured and increments were roughly proportional to length, suggesting that elongation occurs throughout the thallus. New thallus axes (branches) were organized from buds that emerged from mature tissue, usually along pseudocyphellae and surfaces exposed by breakage. Axes were very fine at their extremities and possessed an inrolled apex from the time of bud emergence. No evidence of apical branching was observed. The thallus cortex consisted of very thick-walled fungal cells oriented longitudinally. In transverse section, cells gave the appearance of being grouped within fascicles, indicating that branch cells grow within the older cell wall material of their neighbours, as occurs in the cortex of Ramalina menziesii and the medullary cord of Usnea longissima. A continued accumulation of cell wall layers may be related to the mature tissue's capacity to sustain elongation growth.