The assertion that the blue-greens (‘cyanobacteria’) are bacteria and not algae has led to alternative concepts for both of the latter terms. Bacteria is now often used to designate the prokaryote kingdom, that includes the blue-greens, while in other contexts it means specifically those prokaryotes that are not blue-greens. The term algae, on the other hand, has no biosystematic implications; it encompasses many phylogenetically independent lineages characterized by oxygen-evolving photosynthesis. The algal status of the blue-greens is therefore not compromised by their classification among the bacteria. Current lichenological terminology, however, reflects the view that the blue-greens are not algae, thereby diverging from the concept of algae employed in phycology. The purpose and utility of terms that group organisms according to structural, functional and ecological criteria are insufficiently appreciated. These concepts do not compete with phylogenetic/biosystematic classifications, but rather complement them.

Verrucaria canella, V. fuscella and V. polysticta occur in Great Britain and Ireland; these species have been widely confused, and have often incorrectly been called V. glaucina. Similar specimens parasitic on Aspicilia caesiocinerea may belong to an additional, undescribed species. A lectotype is selected for V. fuscella.

Strigula confusa Fryday, Coppins & Common is described from the western British Isles, where it grows over bryophytes on mildly basic rocks. The concept of the genus Thelenella is expanded to include Chromatochlamys and the following new combinations are made: Thelenella larbalestieri (A. L. Sm.) Coppins & Fryday, Thelenella muscorum var. octospora (Nyl.) Coppins & Fryday, Thelenella vezdae (H. Mayrhofer & Poelt) Coppins & Fryday. Thelenella sordidula (Th. Fr.) H. Mayrhofer is reported for the first time from Europe (Svalbard).

Lichenoconium christiansenii sp. nov. is described and illustrated from the apothecia of Nodobryoria abbreviata (syn. Bryoria abbreviata) in Washington State, USA. The species recalls L. lichenicola, but differs in the more subglobose conidia and the shorter conidiogenous cells as well as in occurring on a different host. A key to the 14 species now known in the genus is provided. Lichenoconium cargillianum is also reported from Letharia vulpina for the first time.

Verrucaria madida is described as a new species with a green, subgelatinous thallus, and small ascospores; it is unique in the genus in having 4-spored asci. Three other small-spored freshwater species, V. aquatilis, V. rheitrophila and V. scabra, are compared. The type of pigment in the thallus cortex is a useful taxonomic character in the genus.

Phoma fuliginosa sp. nov. is described and illustrated from apothecia of Caloplaca trachyphylla (Teloschistaceae) collected in Nebraska, USA. The species is distinguished from other lichenicolous fungi referred to the genus in the shape and size of the conidia. It is considered pragmatic to continue to use the generic name Phoma for this group of lichenicolous coelomycetes until cultural and molecular information is available, although these fungi may later prove not to be congeneric amongst themselves nor with the species occurring on plants. A key to the 14 lichenicolous species now accepted in Phoma is provided, and notes on reports of some additional collections referred to the genus are included.

Micarea subalpina sp. nov. is described from plant detritus in subalpine forest parkland in the mountains of western Montana (USA). It has similarities to M. assimilata and M. erratica.

The new lichenicolous species Lichenostigma supertegentis is described from Sweden and Norway where it grows on thalli and apothecia of Aspicilia supertegens. The ecology and distribution of the new species are discussed and a distribution map is provided. The concept of Lichenostigma is enlarged to accommodate fungi producing macroconidia.

Eight new species of Xanthoparmelia (Parmeliaceae) are described from eastern Australia: X. biloelensis Elix, X. fracticollis Elix, X. kosciuszkoensis Elix, X. nerrigensis Elix, X. paratasmanica Elix, X. rankinensis Elix, X. remanella Elix and X. stuartioides Elix. In addition, a further ten new state records of Xanthoparmelia are reported from eastern Australia.

Three species are added to the recently reintroduced genus Tetramelas, T. chloroleucus comb. nov., T. confusus sp. nov. and T. granulosus comb. nov. Tetramelas confusus was first reported under the name of Buellia papillata but is more similar to T. insignis. Distinguishing characters are given in a Table. Tetramelas poeltii is reduced to synonymy with T. chloroleucus.

Bilimbia [Rheede] Rchb. (Oxalidaceae) is not validly published, whereby Bilimbia De Not. (Lichenes) is not a later homonym and must replace Myxobilimbia Hafellner. In an Appendix, the nomenclatural implications are acted upon: Bilimbia De Not. is re-instated and the new combination Bilimbia lobulata (Sommerf.) Hafellner & Coppins is made.

Five Japanese species of the lichen genus Menegazzia are recorded. Menegazzia caviisidia Bjerke & P. James sp. nov. is characterized by numerous globose to dactyliform to narrowly obovate, hollow isidia, small conical perforations, and thamnolic acid as the major medullary constituent. It appears to be a rare species, so far known only from three localities on Honshu. The status of the primary species M. asahinae is elucidated. Menegazzia pedicellata Bjerke sp. nov. is a rare caperatic acid-containing species previously included in M. asahinae s. lat. Menegazzia asahinae s. str. has perforated margins of apothecia and contains the stictic acid complex. Menegazzia asahinae f. subimpertusa and M. pseudocyphellata are reduced to synonymy with M. asahinae s. str. Two sorediate species are known, viz. M. subsimilis and M. terebrata.

The type material of Physciamagara Kremp., which is the type species of Seirophora Poelt (Teloschistaceae), is shown to be heterogeneous. It is a mixture of Teloschistesvillosus (Ach.) Norman and Ramalinamaciformis (Delile) Bory. Physciamagara Kremp. is typified on the T. villosus-part. Teloschistes species with multiseriate hairs, spores with short septa, thick and strongly conglutinated cortex hyphae with thick walls, lacking cilia or rhizines, and which have a mainly northern hemispheric distribution, are transferred to Seirophora. The following new combinations are made: Seirophora aurantiaca (R. Br.) Frödén, Seirophora austroarabica (Sipman) Frödén, Seirophora californica (Sipman) Frödén, Seirophora contortuplicata (Ach.) Frödén, Seirophora lacunosa (Rupr.) Frödén, Seirophora scorigena (Mont.) Frödén, Seirophora stenophylla (Tav.) Frödén, and Seirophora villosa (Ach.) Frödén.

A new isidiate species in the genus Graphis Adans. (sensu Staiger 2002), Graphis isidiza (Graphidaceae, ascomycetes) is described from the Western Ghats of India.

The new species, Menegazzia jamesii Louwhoff & Kantvilas from Victoria and Tasmania, closely related to M. pertransita (Stirt.) R. Sant., is described. Chemical and nomenclatural notes on M. caliginosa P. James & D. J. Galloway and M. pertransita are provided, and the new combination, M. stirtonii (Zahlbr.) Kantvilas & Louwhoff, is proposed. The name M. weindorferi (Zahlbr.) R. Sant., widely applied in Australian literature, is considered synonymous with M. pertransita, whereas M. bullata (Stirt.) Bitter is considered a synonym of M. stirtonii.

During a study on population genetics of three species of Cladonia using the nuclear ribosomal 18S DNA, two species contained group I intron-like sequences located in positions 788 and 940 with reference to the E. coli 16S rDNA gene. The intron in position 940 was not typical of group I introns and had previously been described only from the Parmeliaceae and Lecanoraceae, but here we report the occurrence of this intron in the Cladoniaceae. The intron in position 788 had characteristics of group I introns and had previously been reported from the Physciaceae. In this paper we provide for the first time a putative RNA fold for the nS788 intron, compare the secondary RNA structure of the Cladonia group I introns (nS788 and nS940) to that of other taxa, and infer a phylogenetic history among 15 members of the Lecanorales based on the evolutionary history of the nS788 group I intron. The RNA fold for nS788 contained two optional hairpins, P2.1 and a potentially newly described hairpin referred to as P5.1. The phylogenetic hypothesis supports the monophyly of the genus Cladonia. It also supports the separation of two large groups in the Physciaceae; the Buellia-group and the Physcia-group.

Leptogium quercicola (Collemataceae), a new corticolous species, is described from central and south-eastern Spain. It is closely related to L. lichenoides, but differs in the development of dense fruticolous cushions, with lobes narrower than the smallest known forms of L. lichenoides. Moreover, spore length and width of the two taxa are significantly different. In addition, the two species differ ecologically; L. quercicola growing directly on bark of Quercus spp., while L. lichenoides colonizes rocks, soil and bark but always among mosses.

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 first molecular phylogenetic study on a range of Punctelia species is reported, focussing on specimens growing in the Iberian Peninsula. Material of seven species was included in the analysis. Forty sequences were generated from nuITS and mtSSU rDNA in 20 specimens, and the resultant majority rule consensus tree from the combined analyses shows four major clades. Punctelia ulophylla is confirmed as a distinct species, P. reddenda is basal to P. borreri, and P. perreticulata groups with P. subrudecta. Samples identified as P. rudecta from the Canary Islands and China occupy different basal positions; the complex merits further study. Punctelia borreri and P. subrudecta are mainly coastal in the Iberian Peninsula, but are now reported from the central plateau for the first time; newly colonizing thalli have been found in a park in Madrid which is regularly spray-watered and where sulphur dioxide levels have fallen over the last two decades.

The new species, Solenopsora tasmanica Kantvilas, is described and its distinguishing characteristics are discussed. The new species is the first record for the genus for Tasmania and occurs on montane, acidic soils, an unusual habitat for Solenopsora. It also contains the compounds brialmontin 1 and brialmontin 2, recorded from Solenopsora for the first time.