Central Europe in general is poor in Teloschistaceae lichen crusts (Caloplaca s. lat.). Diversity of these lichens is increased by the occurrence of some Arctic, Mediterranean and continental species, which are here close to the limits of their range. Examples include:

1. 1) Caloplaca interfulgens, previously known from arid territories of northern Africa and western Asia, is recorded, surprisingly, from Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and southern Russia. In Central Europe, it is restricted to scattered xerothermic limestone outcrops.

2. 2) Caloplaca scabrosa, previously known only from Svalbard, is recorded from the Sudetes in the Czech Republic. It is similar to, but not conspecific with, C. furfuracea. Its diagnostic characters include a blastidiate thallus and the presence of atranorin. Our results show that atranorin is absent in the majority of taxa related to C. furfuracea with only two exceptions: the sample from Eastern Carpathians, here called C. aff. scabrosa, and in one Sudetan sample identified as C. crenularia.

3. 3) Caloplaca emilii, newly described below, is closely related to the Mediterranean C. areolata. We consider C. emilii a Mediterranean species rarely occurring in higher latitudes in Austria, the Czech Republic and Germany. It is distinguished from C. areolata mainly by the presence of vegetative diaspores (blastidia); a possible role of blastidia in the distribution pattern of C. emilii is discussed below. Status of the names Caloplaca areolata, C. isidiigera and C. spalatensisis, formerly used for the new taxon, is clarified.

4. 4) Caloplaca molariformis, newly described below, belongs to the Pyrenodesmia group (a lineage of Caloplaca without anthraquinones). It is a continental species, frequently collected on limestone or lime-rich tuffs in steppes or deserts in Turkey, Iran, western Kazakhstan and southern Russia, and is also known from eastern Ukraine and southern Slovakia. Caloplaca molariformis is characterized by its thick thallus with fungal and algal tissues arranged in high stacks.

5. 5) Caloplaca substerilis, newly described below, is distinguished from the closely related C. ulcerosa by its endophloeodal or minutely squamulose thallus with soralia formed in bark crevices or on margins of squamules. While C. ulcerosa has a maritime distribution in Europe, C. substerilis is typically a continental species. North American continental lichens called “C. ulcerosa” are phylogenetically closer and more similar to C. substerilis.

The positions within Teloschistaceae of the taxa considered are demonstrated by ITS phylogenies. The distributions of C. areolata, C. emilii and C. interfulgens are mapped. The new species are fully described using more than a hundred phenotype characters, and diagnostic characters are indicated separately.

The new lichenicolous genus Ameroconium (dematiaceous hyphomycetes), with its type species A. cladoniae and the new lichenicolous species Phoma psoromatis (pycnidial coelomycetes), are described, discussed and illustrated. Phoma lobariae is recorded for the first time from the Arctic, Russia and Asia on Lobaria linita.

Dirina (Roccellaceae, Arthoniales) is a monophyletic genus of crustose, saxicolous or corticolous lichenized fungi. Twenty-four species are accepted in the genus, including nine new species: Dirina angolana, D. arabica, D. astridae, D. canariensis, D. indica, D. madagascariensis, D. pacifica, D. pallescens and D. sorocarpa. A phylogenetic hypothesis is presented based on data from four molecular markers, β-tubulin, ITS 1 and 2, nuLSU and RPB2, including all recognized Dirina species worldwide. New combinations proposed include Dirina badia for Roccellina badia, Dirina jamesii for Roccellina jamesii, Dirina candida for Chiodecton candidum and Dirina teichiodes for Lecidea teichiodes. Two species are reinstated: Dirina approximata and D. monothalamia (as a new name of Chiodecton africanum). Asexual morphs described earlier at the rank forma are no longer recognized as taxonomic units viz., Dirina catalinariae f. sorediata, D. insulana f. sorediata, D. massiliensis f. sorediata, D. paradoxa ssp. paradoxa f. sorediata and D. massiliensis f. aponina. One species, Dirina calcicola, is transferred to Fulvophyton and two other species, Dirina insulae-howensis and Dirina neozelandica, are transferred to Schismatomma. Dirina follmannii is not accepted in Dirina and placed as incertae sedis. A key to the species of Dirina is provided. Vicariance through plate tectonics and continental drift versus long distance dispersal to explain biogeographical patterns is discussed.

Buellia subericola, a new corticolous species characterized by a brown, blastidiate thallus without secondary chemistry and triseptate to occasionally submuriform ascospores, is described from the southern Iberian Peninsula. The species occurs on Quercus suber in grass-woodlands of cork-oak in the mesomediterranean belt with a warm mediterranean climate and oceanic influence. It is compared with other known Buellia s. lat. taxa which also reproduce asexually and have similar ascospores.

Belonia and Pachyphiale were recently shown to be nested within Gyalecta. Here, new combinations and names are introduced for species earlier classified in Belonia: Gyalecta calcicola (Walt. Watson) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. herculina (Rehm) Baloch, Lumbsch & Wedin comb. nov., G. incarnata (Th. Fr. & Graewe) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. lumbrispora (Etayo) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. lyngei Baloch & Lücking nom. nov. (for Belonia arctica Lynge), G. mediterranea (Nav.-Ros. & Llimona) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. nidarosiensis (Kindt) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. pellucida (Coppins & Malcolm) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. russula (Körb. ex Nyl.) Baloch, Lumbsch & Wedin comb. nov., G. uncinata (P. M. McCarthy & Kantvilas) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., and G. vezdana (Malcolm & Coppins) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov.; and for species earlier placed in Pachyphiale: Gyalecta arbuti (Bagl.) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. gyalizella (Nyl.) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., G. himalayensis (Vězda & Poelt) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov., and G. ophiospora (Bagl.) Baloch & Lücking comb. nov.

A saxicolous Graphis discovered in the southern part of South Korea is described as new to science. The new species, Graphis koreana sp. nov., is characterized by a green to brownish green, thick, rimose thallus, completely carbonized proper exciple, trans-septate to submuriform ascospores and the presence of norstictic acid.

The new species, Sphinctrina paramerae, is proposed. Characteristics of ascospores (size, morphology and ornamentation), apothecia (morphology, size and chemical reactions) and ecological features revealed significant differences between S. paramerae and the currently known species of Sphinctrina with non-septate ascospores. The new species grows on Pertusaria paramerae, epiphytic on the bark of Juniperus thurifera, which occurs on well-exposed areas of parameras in the Iberian high plateau and other montane Mediterranean areas.

The phylogenetic placement of Collema fasciculare (L.) F. H. Wigg, the most deviating species within Collema (Collemataceae, Lecanoromycetidae), was studied using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis of three molecular loci (mitochondrial SSU rDNA, and the protein-coding, nuclear RPB1 and MCM7 genes). Collema fasciculare belongs to Arctomiaceae (Ostropomycetidae) forming a strongly supported monophyletic group with members of Arctomia. The spores, paraphyses, asci and hymenial reactions in Collema fasciculare are similar to other Arctomia, but the ascoma ontogeny is somewhat different. Also C. leptosporum Malme, another species in the Fasciculare group, shows similarities with Arctomia regarding spores and asci. Arctomia is morphologically heterogeneous and the genus is in need of revision. Until then, the species of the Fasciculare group fit best in Arctomia s. lat. and the combinations Arctomia fascicularis (L.) Otálora & Wedin, Arctomia leptospora (Malme) Otálora & Wedin, Arctomia papuanarum (Degel.) Otálora & Wedin and Arctomia uviformis (Hue) Otálora & Wedin are proposed.

Two new species of Pyxine with yellow medulla from saxicolous habitats are described as new to science. The new species P. punensis has an isidiate, UV+ yellow thallus with 0·3–0·6 mm wide lobes. Pyxine yercaudensis has smaller ascospores (13–16×6–7 µm), lacks vegetative propagules and lacks lichexanthone.

Acanthothecis salazinica and Diorygma archeri are described from Vietnam. The former is characterized by having a leprose thallus, creamish to whitish, entire, epruinose labia, a slit-like disc, a hyaline to brown, entire proper exciple, warty periphysoids, 8-spored asci, and 28–30-loculate, hyaline, I− ascospores, 70–120×7–14 µm in size. The latter has a greenish grey thallus, a poorly developed, hyaline to pale or brownish proper exciple, 1-spored asci, hyaline, muriform ascospores, and produces protocetraric acid. Acanthothecis corcovadensis, Diorygma erythrellum, D. junghuhnii, D. macgregorii, Platygramme platyloma, Pliariona montagnei and Thecaria quassiicola are recorded for the first time from the country.

In the present paper, seven species of the lichen genus Platygramme are reported from China. Two of these, Platygramme pudica and P. platyloma, are new to China and two species, Platygramme hainanensis and P. lueckingii, both from a tropical rain forest in Hainan Island, are described as new to science. The new species belong to a group within Platygramme, which is characterized by concealed discs, while the type species, P. caesiopruinosa, and some others have widely open discs. Descriptions and the known distribution of each species are given and a working key to the Chinese species is provided.

Verrucaria nodosa sp. nov. and V. rosula sp. nov. each have a thallus composed of initially discrete units which coalesce and overlap with age, forming an uneven crust. They are related species and similar in appearance, but the thallus units are coarser in Verrucaria nodosa, and the involucrellum is typically more regularly thickened than in V. rosula. Verrucaria placida sp. nov. has a smooth, subgelatinous thallus; it is related to V. hydrophila sp. nov. but differs in the larger ascospores and perithecia. It is not closely related to V. andesiatica but is morphologically similar, differing mainly in the narrower ascospores. Verrucaria hydrophila has been widely known as V. hydrela auct., non Ach. or V. denudata Zsch. nom. illeg. Verrucaria laevata Ach. is considered to be a nomen dubium.

Pannaria minutiphylla Elvebakk and P. pulverulacea Elvebakk are described here as new to science. Both species belong to the panaustral P. sphinctrina (Mont.) Tuck. ex Hue complex. Their spores, however, are more long-ellipsoid and much less verrucose than those of P. sphinctrina itself, and the species are therefore not considered to be phyllidiate and sorediate counterparts, respectively, of the latter. Pannaria minutiphylla disperses with phyllidia, which are distinctly smaller and not as erect as those of a similar Australian species, P. phyllidiata Elvebakk. Pannaria pulverulacea has the smallest vegetative propagules within this species group. They are referred to as soredia here, although they are partly corticated. This species also has the widest distribution, including wet forests of southern South America, south-eastern Australia, and from Northland to Campbell Island in New Zealand. Pannaria minutiphylla has the same distribution and often grows together with P. pulverulacea, except in southern South America, where some related material has still not been sufficiently studied. Both species are very common within their distribution areas, and previously have mostly been identified as P. microphyllizans. The latter is, however, a very different species, which instead will be studied in comparison with P. athroophylla (Stirt.) Elvebakk & D. J. Galloway.

Recent fieldwork carried out for the study of the lichen flora in the Upper Douro region (north-east Portugal) has resulted in a remarkable collection of Peltula specimens, including one new species (Peltula lobata J. Marques, M. Schultz & Paz-Berm.), three new species records for mainland Europe [Peltula bolanderi (Tuck.) Wetmore, Peltula farinosa Büdel and Peltula zahbruckneri (Hasse) Wetmore] and seven species new for mainland Portugal, that are reported here with a notes on their morphology and currently known distribution. The new species Peltula lobata is differentiated from any other known Peltula species by its thallus shape and size, presence of large, sessile apothecia with widely opened discs and by a complete absence of soredia. Identical specimens were also obtained from the nearby locality of Siega Verde in the province of Salamanca, and from the southern locality of Abla in the province of Almeria, both in Spain. New insights into the morphological diversity of Peltula euploca and Peltula bolanderi are also provided. The region is revealed to be a hotspot for Peltula diversity and a very promising area for further research on the morphological and molecular variation among the former species. A revised key to European species of the genus is also presented.

Previous studies have identified a close relationship between the monospecific Masonhalea richardsonii and Tuckermannopsis inermis. However, formal taxonomic changes were postponed until existing sequence data could be confirmed. Here we validate these data and discuss the transfer of T. inermis to Masonhalea (made by Lumbsch et al. in Thell & Moberg 2011), consider the morphological, anatomical and biogeographic similarities and differences between these two taxa. The two Masonhalea species both produce lateral apothecia, marginal pycnidia, a layer of cortical tissue beneath the pycnidial wall and bacillariform conidia.

The new species Coniarthonia aurata E. L. Lima, M. Cáceres & Aptroot, Cresponea endosulphurea A. A. Menezes, M. Cáceres & Aptroot, Cryptothecia macrocephala E. L. Lima, M. Cáceres & Aptroot, and Synarthonia sarcographoides Aptroot, A. A. Menezes, E. L. Lima & M. Cáceres are described from Caatinga vegetation in NE Brazil. They were found in the Chapada do Araripe in the state of Ceará and/or the Vale do Catimbau National Park in Pernambuco. Coniarthonia aurata has weakly organized, semiglobose apothecia with golden crystals, and on first impression looks like the anamorph of a Tylophoron. Cresponea endosulphurea has a pigment of the group of xantholepinones in the thallus. It is the first time that a substance from this group is reported from the Arthoniales. Cryptothecia macrocephala has strongly macrocephalic ascospores and contains psoromic acid in the thallus. Synarthonia sarcographoides is only the third species in this rarely found genus. It is characterized within the genus by muriform, brown ascospores, but it is assigned with hesitation to the genus. It is locally quite common.

Four new species of lichenized fungi from northern Argentina are described and illustrated: Coenogonium albomarginatum Michlig & L. I. Ferraro, C. brasiliense L. I. Ferraro & Michlig, C. flavovirens L. I. Ferraro & Michlig, and C. verrucosum Michlig & L. I. Ferraro. In addition, C. isidiatum (G. Thor & Vězda) Lücking et al., C. magdalenae Rivas Plata, Lücking & Lizano, C. persistens (Malme) Lücking et al., C. pusillum (Mont.) Lücking et al., and C. weberi (Vězda) Lücking et al. are recorded for the first time from South America. The known distribution of 24 species of this lichen genus is extended. A revision of the genus in Argentina and Paraguay is also presented.