Eurasian Cetraria steppae and the more widely distributed C. aculeata are two lichen species traditionally distinguished by Eastern European and Spanish lichenologists on the basis of their morphological and ecological characteristics. Other specialists, however, consider them puzzling. This paper aims to evaluate the taxonomic status of these members of the C. aculeata group and thereby to clarify their conservation status in Ukraine. Morphological, chemical and ecological features of specimens originating from populations in different regions of Ukraine were tested and compared with the main characteristics commonly used for the species delimitation. Neither morphological nor chemical traits were found to correlate with ecological characteristics on a small geographical scale. Variation in the norstictic acid content detected in 256 individuals from 13 populations in Ukraine showed no correlation with the morphological characteristics that are currently used for species delimitation. These morphological features appear to vary continuously and did not support subdivision among the specimens studied. We hypothesize that C. steppae and C. aculeata are conspecific, and provide a formal synonymy. Specimens with norstictic acid are regarded as a different chemotype. Possible evolutionary and adaptive roles of norstictic acid in C. aculeata s. lat. are discussed. Based on current and historical data, we consider C. aculeata s. lat. as vulnerable in Ukraine, according to the IUCN criteria for regional Red List assessment.

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.

Thalli of Lobaria pulmonaria of different sizes were collected from the trunks of two specimens of Populus tremula. The secondary lichen compounds, stictic, constictic, norstictic, peristictic, cryptostictic and methyl stictic acid were quantified by HPLC and ranked in order of decreasing concentration. There was a highly significant positive correlation between thallus size and the total concentration of secondary compounds, as well as the total content per unit area for specimens from the two sampled trees. According to hypotheses inferring a herbivore deterrent role of secondary lichen compounds, small, juvenile thalli should be more susceptible to herbivores than larger thalli. Thus herbivory might limit survival of young specimens in habitats rich in lichen-feeding molluscs and thereby reduce reproductive success.

Pannaria isabellina is transferred from Psoroma to Pannaria as it lacks the amyloid apical ascus structure characteristic of Psoroma. However, it has an isolated position within Pannaria because of its lichenized squamules developing horizontally on a thin, filmy prothallus, and its thallus chemistry characterized by the norstictic acid chemosyndrome. It also has a sclerenchymatous epicortex and a characteristic perispore with gibbose wall swellings and long flagella-like apical extensions; both characters are not often found and are still insufficiently studied within the genus Pannaria. The gelatinous, long flagella-like apical extensions of the perispores probably serve to anchor the ascospores to thin and vertical substrata; the species seems to be concentrated in forest margins of evergreen forests along the coast of Chile, except in the Valdivian rainforest region where it extends further east.

Szczazvinskia leucopoda Holien & Tønsberg and 5. foliicola Holien & Tønsberg are described from coastal Central Norway and Newfoundland, and from Papua New Guinea, respectively.