Two species of Catinaria with an unusual hepaticolous (i.e. growing on liverworts) lifestyle are described as new to science. Catinaria brodoana is described from species of Cheilolejeunea sect. Leucolejeunea (Lejeuneaceae) growing in south-eastern North America. Catinaria radulae is described from Radula flavifolia (Radulaceae) growing in the Cape Horn Archipelago of southernmost Chile, South America. The species are compared with the type of Catinaria (C. atropurpurea). In addition to occurring on hepatics, C. brodoana is characterized by its cellular exciple, warted ascospores and thallus composed of goniocysts, while C. radulae is characterized by its exciple of radiating hyphae, warted ascospores and absence of a lichenized thallus.

Rhizocarpon quinonum McCune, Timdal & Bendiksby is described as a new species from two sites in Katmai National Park, south-western Alaska, in a suboceanic climate near the limit of trees on the Alaska Peninsula. Most similar in external appearance to R. arctogenum, R. bolanderi, R. leptolepis, and R. rittokense, the species is distinguished by the presence of an anthraquinone as a major substance. Mature apothecia are unknown, but ITS sequences are most similar to those of R. copelandii and R. jemtlandicum, although those species differ greatly in morphology from R. quinonum.

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.

Non-saxicolous lecideoid lichens form a diverse and polyphyletic group of species with a worldwide distribution. The phylogenetic relationships of the taxa and major clades are still largely unresolved. Here we introduce a new genus Palicella Rodr. Flakus & Printzen for Lecidea glaucopa Hook. f. & Tayl. and two closely related species. Our molecular phylogenetic results, based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic trees, and a combined dataset of five gene loci (ITS, nrLSU, mrSSU, RPB1 and RPB2), indicate that Palicella forms a monophyletic clade sister to Lecanora symmicta and Pyrrhospora quernea. The new genus is characterized by biatorine apothecia, which are often darkened (by the pigment Cinereorufa-green), an exciple of radiating, narrow hyphae with strongly elongate lumina, a hymenium with branched and sparsely anastomosed paraphyses, an ascus with a broad axial body surrounded by a distinct darker staining layer, and narrowly ellipsoid ascospores. Atranorin is present in all, usnic acid in two and pannarin in one species of the genus. Three new combinations are proposed: Palicella filamentosa (Stirt.) Rodr. Flakus & Printzen, P. glaucopa (Hook. f. & Taylor) Rodr. Flakus & Printzen, and P. schizochromatica (Pérez-Ortega, T. Sprib. & Printzen) Rodr. Flakus & Printzen. The molecular phylogenetic analysis confirms that Lecidea hercynica Hauck & Schmull is a synonym of P. filamentosa. An identification key to the species is provided.

The new species Micarea usneae is described from Madeira. It has been found at two localities where it grew on epiphytic Usnea thalli. Micarea usneae is distinguished by a very thin pale brownish thallus, pallid to greyish black or bluish subglobose apothecia of 0·1–0·3 mm diameter, very narrow (1·5–2·5 µm) ascospores, black pycnidia and strongly curved to sigmoid macroconidia. Phylogenetic analyses using mtSSU sequences place the new species in the Micarea peliocarpa group. Catillaria usneicola and Cladonia parasitica are recorded for the first time from Madeira. A key to the lichenicolous species on Usnea in Macaronesia is provided.

The new species Miriquidica invadens Hafellner, Obermayer & Tretiach is described and reported from Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Switzerland, France and Spain. From a morphological point of view the species belongs to the M. griseoatra group, in which it is, so far, the only constantly lichenicolous taxon. Chemically it is characterized by the regular presence of miriquidic acid, stictic acid, and constictic acid (in variable amounts). It starts its ontogenetic life cycle as an obligate youth parasite on Sporastatia, usually S. polyspora.

Morpho-anatomical treatments of other species of the Miriquidica griseoatra group occurring in Europe, based on the examination of type material, are also presented. According to the characters exhibited by the lectotype of Lecidea contigua var. griseoatra Flot., M. griseoatra (Flot.) Hertel & Rambold is the correct name for a montane species with subdivided areoles and immersed, laterally adnate apothecia with a pigmented hypothecium. Specimens exhibiting this set of characters were usually named M. obnubila auct. According to the characters observed on the lectotype of Lecidea (Biatora) obnubila Th. Fr. & Hellb., M. obnubila (Th. Fr. & Hellb.) Hertel & Rambold is a species with sessile apothecia with a hyaline hypothecium. Lecidea subplumbea Anzi does not constitute a heterotypic synonym of Lecidea griseoatra (Flot.) Schaer. but is the legitimate name at the species level for Miriquidica griseoatra sensu auct., and therefore M. subplumbea (Anzi) Cl. Roux is the correct name for that taxon. Lecidea inserena Nyl. is confirmed as a heterotypic synonym of Lecidea subplumbea Anzi. Lecidea plumbea Garov. ex A. Massal. is an earlier heterotypic synonym of Miriquidica limitata Hertel & Rambold and, therefore, the new combination M. plumbea (Garov. ex A. Massal.) Hafellner, Obermayer & Tretiach is introduced.

Lectotypes are designated for Lecidea contigua var. griseoatra Flot., Lecidea inserena Nyl., Lecidea obnubila Th. Fr. & Hellb., Lecidea plumbea Garov. ex A. Massal., and Lecidea subplumbea Anzi. A key to the taxa of the M. griseoatra-group and other Miriquidica taxa with a grey thallus is provided.

Morphological and chemical studies of Hypogymnia from the Himalayas revealed one new species, three species new to the region, and a previously unrecognized synonym. Hypogymnia crystallina, distinguished by its rimmed holes in the lobe axils, a pruinose disc, POL+ epihymenium, and distinctive chemistry (zeorin, hypoprotocetraric acid, usnic acid and atranorin) is described as new. Hypogymnia pseudohypotrypa (Asah.) A. Singh is synonymized with H. thomsoniana and a second location is reported for the recently described H. sikkimensis. Hypogymnia bitteri, H. mundata, and H. subarticulata are reported as new to India. A total of 17 species of the genus Hypogymnia are accepted for the Himalayan region of India and Nepal, with one additional species from southern India. A key is given to the species known from this region.

Phenotypic characters, either morphological or chemical, have shown to be insufficient to delimit species boundaries in the genus Cladonia. The present study addresses the circumscription of species within the Cladonia cariosa group, examining a number of specimens of the currently accepted taxa Cladonia cariosa, C. symphycarpa, C. acuminata, C. subcariosa and C. latiloba. We employed maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods of phylogenetic reconstructions based on DNA sequences of ITS, rpb2 and ef1α regions. Our results show that the C. cariosa group consists of at least four phylogenetic lineages. It is also shown that each of these lineages is chemically variable, which restricts the taxonomic value of the chemical differences within the group. However, anatomical differences, such as squamule surface and cortex structure, were found to correlate with the distinct lineages found in the phylogenetic analysis. This result confirms the taxonomic value of the cortical surface under SEM, as was found in other lichen groups.

Species of Usnea with black pigmentation in the cortex and dark apothecial discs are informally referred to as neuropogonoid lichens. Here we studied the phylogenetic relationships of the core group of neuropogonoid lichens using DNA sequence data of three loci: nuclear ITS and IGS rDNA and RPB1. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses revealed monophyly of 11 neuropogonoid species, with U. ciliata and U. subcapillaris forming a separate lineage. The backbone of the phylogeny of the core group was not resolved with statistical confidence, but relationships of groups of two to three species received strong support (U. acromelana +U. aurantiaco-atra; U. messutiae+U. pallidocarpa; U. sphacelata+U. subantarctica+U. trachycarpa; U. lambii+U. perpusilla+U. ushuaiensis). The new combination U. lambii (Imshaug) Wirtz & Lumbsch comb. nov. is made and U. messutiae Wirtz & Lumbsch sp. nov. is described.

The species of Lecanora sensu stricto occurring in Thailand are revised. Twenty-eight species are accepted with one new species, L. kansriae described for a taxon with small crystals in the amphithecium and containing the stictic acid chemosyndrome. Eight species are recorded from Thailand for the first time: L. coronulans, L. farinacea, L. interjecta, L. leproplaca, L. melaleuca, L. plumosa, L. pseudargentata, and L. toroyensis. Previous records of L. casuarinophila, L. insignis, L. pulicaris, and L. subgranulata are shown to be based on misidentifications. The new combination Vainionora flavidorufa is proposed for Lecanora flavidorufa Hue (syn. L. lividocarnea Vain. and L. lividoglauca Vain.). A key for the identification of the treated species is provided.

A new lichenized fungus, Lecanora microloba Śliwa & Flakus, is described from the subnival belt of the Polish Tatra Mountains. It is characterized by small, saxicolous thalli with minutely lobulate marginal areoles and mostly broadly sessile and constantly pale coloured apothecia that are grouped predominantly in the centre of the thallus. Anatomically the species is distinguished by coarse granules in the epithecium which are distinctly bright in polarized light. The species contains gyrophoric and usnic acids, zeorin and an unknown terpene as secondary metabolites.

In this investigation we utilized parsimony and Bayesian analyses of mtSSU and nuLSU rDNA sequence datasets to show that the lichenized ascomycete genera Leptochidium and Polychidium (formerly classified in Placynthiaceae) form a well-supported monophyletic group with Massalongia (Peltigerales, Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota). This group is also supported by morphological characteristics (ascus type, ascoma ontogeny and anatomy), but does not have a formal name on any level. We describe it here as the family Massalongiaceae. Massalongiaceae is related to a group consisting of Peltigeraceae-Nephromataceae, and Lobariaceae, but the detailed relationships within this group are not resolved with convincing support.

The new species, Lecanora luteomarginata and L. subpraesistens, are described from northern India. The first is characterized by apothecia with dark brown discs and bright yellow margins, while L. subpraesistens is a multispored species that is readily distinguished by an egranulose epihymenium and a melacarpella-type amphithecium.

Schaereria dolodes (Nyl. ex Hasse) Schmull & T. Sprib. comb. nov., an epiphytic lichen species known from western North America was originally described as a member of the genus Lecidea sensu lato. However, its morphology is very characteristic of the genus Schaereria Körb. Here, we lectotypify the species and propose its placement in the latter genus. It is also reported as new to Canada from British Columbia.

Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear ITS rDNA and mitochondrial SSU rDNA sequences from 32 specimens representing Parmotrema pseudoreticulatum, P. reticulatum and P. clavuliferum from Africa, Asia, Australia, and Europe are reported. Samples from western Europe and South Africa formed an independent monophyletic group, which belongs to P. pseudoreticulatum, a species not accepted by some recent authors, that has only been reported from Portugal, Spain and Morocco. In contrast, P. reticulatum and P. clavuliferum, both widely distributed taxa, formed a monophyletic clade, supporting the synonymy already proposed on the basis of morphological features.

The phylogeny of the Micareaceae and the genus Micarea Fr. was studied using 39 nuclear small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference. A confidence set of trees was estimated using expected likelihood weights to investigate a series of hypotheses of monophyly. Tree topologies were very similar between methods and differed only in the placement of a few poorly supported branches. The results indicate that the Micareaceae in its current circumscription belongs in the Lecanorales, but that it is not monophyletic. Psilolechia, Micarea with a ‘non-micareoid’ photobiont, Micarea sensu stricto and Byssoloma form a paraphyletic grade in this study. Micarea sensu stricto and Byssoloma (Pilocarpaceae) form a strongly supported monophyletic group, which constitutes the sister group to the Bacidiaceae. Scoliciosporum A. Massal has sometimes been considered close to Micarea, but no support was found for that hypothesis.

The phylogenetic relationships of 16 species of Parmelia s. str. are presented based on sequences of nuITS rDNA from 56 specimens, and β-tubulin gene sequences from 29 collections. Parmelia serrana sp. nov. a Mediterranean species morphologically very close to P. saxatilis is described. Parmelia ernstiae is the sister-group to P. saxatilis s. str., and a further undescribed North American species of the P. saxatilis complex may require recognition. The isidiate P. squarrosa is closely allied to the sorediate P. sulcata, which is paraphyletic. Japanese samples of P. cochleata form a monophyletic group but too few collections of these were studied to reach firm conclusions regarding their relationships. An epitype is selected for the lectotype of Lichen saxatilis to unequivocally fix the application of that epithet.

ITS rDNA sequence data shows that Diploicia and Diplotomma species form a monophyletic clade distinct from other Buellia species. This indicates that Diplotomma merits acceptance as a genus, and suggests that Diploicia should be treated as a synonym of Diplotomma, the earlier name. The data also shows Diploicia subcanescens, considered the fertile counterpart in a species pair with D. canescens, is nested within D. canescens and should be treated as a synonym despite reported chemical differences. In addition, the molecular data support the distinctness of Diplotomma rivas-martinezii, a species restricted to gypsum rocks in Spain, from the widespread D. venustum, which grows on calcareous rocks. Aposymbiotic cultures suggest that D. rivas-martinezii also differs from D. venustum in its germination and isolation success rates. One new combination is made: Diplotomnta pulverulenta (Anzi) D. Hawksw. (syn. Abrothallus pulverulentus Anzi) for the lichenicolous species previously known as Buellia pulverulenta.