The new lichen species Cladonia krogiana is described from eight localities in SE Norway. It resembles C. polycarpoides morphologically, but differs in containing barbaric acid and chlorovinetorin.

The following new species of Parmeliaceae are described from Africa: Xanthoparmelia bainskloofensis Elix & T. H. Nash, X. boyeri Elix, X. dubitella Elix, X. kleinswartbergensis Elix, X. lobuliferella Elix, X. malawiensis Elix, X. micromaculata Elix and X. waboomsbergensis Elix. The new combination Xanthoparmelia patula (Brusse) Elix is made and X. hypoleiella Elix, X. neoconspersa (Gyeln.) Hale, X. neocumberlandia T. H. Nash & Elix and X. sipmanii T. H. Nash & Elix are reported from Africa for the first time.

The new corticolous lichen genus Krogia and species K. coralloidesare described from humid forest in Mauritius. The genus shows affinities with Phyllopsora, but differs in characters of the ascus, ascospores, and thallus anatomy. The ascal characters make its inclusion in the Bacidiaceae or Phyllopsoraceae problematic. The lichen contains boninic acid and an apparently related compound.

A characteristic, sterile lichen genus with homoiomerous thallus containing terpenoids is described, with one subtropical species, Kroswia crystalliferum sp. nov., occurring scattered in Africa from Kenya south to the Cape, southern India (with Sri Lanka) and Taiwan. Another temperate species, Kroswia gemmascens (Nyl.) comb, nov., is restricted to Eastern Asia. in spite of its gelatinous, homoiomerous thallus, the genus appears to belong to the Pannariaceae.

A new species, Cladonia singhii Ahti & Dixit (type from the state of Arunachal Pradesh), is described. A further seven Cladonia species, C. corniculata, C. kanewskii, C. laii, C. luteoalba, C. mauritiana, C. mongolica and C. rei, are reported as new to the recent checklist of lichens of the Indian subcontinent. The presence of C. cartilaginea in India is confirmed.

Ten foliose and placodioid species of Physciaceae are reported from the National Park Torres del Paine and from other areas in southernmost Chile. Phaeophyscia constipate and Physconia perisidiosa are reported as new to the Southern Hemisphere, Phaeophyscia endococcina var. endococcina and Phaeorrhiza nimbosa as new to South America, and Dimelaena oreina and Physcia kalbii as new to Chile. The latter was recorded only from the island of Chiloé. Dimelaena appears to be rare in Magallanes and has been recorded only from one steppe locality. Phaeophyscia constipate and Phaeorrhiza nimbosa appear to be confined to the driest steppes, in areas with occurrences of rock outcrops associated with calcareous soil. Physconia muscigena has a similar habitat ecology, but a wider distribution, and is quite common. Physconia perisidiosa and Physcia adscendens were found to be very common in all bioclimatic zones surveyed in the lowland of Torres del Paine. The Physciaceae species treated here are all bipolar or subcosmopolitan, and belong to genera lacking an austral or South American element in the area studied, in contrast to the pattern in all other reasonably large macrolichen groups, except among cetrarioid genera. Their habitat ecology is also very similar to conditions known in the Northern Hemisphere. On the other hand, other widely distributed Northern Hemisphere species such as Physcia stellaris and P. aipolia have known distribution patterns in South America which are disjunct and northern and very different from those of the species treated here.

A new lichen species, Catillaria nigroisidiata, is described from the Netherlands: it is the first isidiate species known in the genus and has been collected growing on granite on dykes in the north-eastern part of the country. This new species is easily overlooked because of the completely black appearance. A key to Catillaria s.str. in western Europe is provided.

A new lichen species from the genus Bacidia s. lat., B. brandii, is described from the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Lithuania. It has been found terricolous, on brick, on lignum and on plant debris. The new species belongs to a group sometimes treated in the genus Bacidina Vězda, and shows particular affinities to Bacidia amoldiana, B. chloroticula and B. saxenii.

Two new species, Xanthoria karrooensis S. Kondratyuk & Kärnefelt and Xanthoria alexanderbaai S. Kondratyuk & Kärnefelt, both apparently endemic to South Africa, are described and illustrated. Other xanthorioid species known from southern Africa are listed in a Table and a preliminary key is provided for the African species. The new species are compared with a number of presumably related species, and a Table is provided comparing the character states for the new species and related species.

Sclerophyton is reported for the first time from India and two species ofthis genus, namely S. elegans Eschw. and a new species S. indicum U. V. Makhija & B. A. Adawadkar are recorded.

The study aimed to optimize culture conditions and nutrient requirements for theproduction of secondary metabolites by the cultured mycobiont Lobaria spathulata. This species proved to be an excellent model system for such studies, as the complete chemosyndromefound in the natural lichen thallus was repeatedly formed in the cultured mycobiont with differentiated, aerial mycelia. Nutrient media containing the disaccharide, sucrose, were found to favour both rapid growth and the production of typical lichen substances. Higher proportions of the secondary compounds were detected in the developing mycobiont than in mature lichen thalli.