The study of the type material of Buellia ericina (Nyl.) Jatta has revealed that this species is characterized by the same diagnostic characters as Rinodina madeirensis Kalb & Hafellner, and both taxa are here considered to be conspecific. The generic position of Buellia ericina is discussed and it is concluded that the species is better placed within the genus Rinodina (Ach.) Gray. New chemical data on this taxon are provided, and its sorediate variety, R. ericina var. boomii, is described as new from Portugal. Its closest affinities are shown to be with Rinodina kalbii Giralt & Matzer and probably also R. insularis (Arnold) Hafellner.This group stands apart in the family Physciaceae. It shows affinities with Diploicia A. Massal. and is included provisionally in Rinodina.

The new genus and species Kantvilasia hians (Lecanorales, Ectolechiaceae) is described from leaves of Atherosperma moschatum at the margin of cool-temperate rainforest in western Tasmania. Notes are provided on characterization, distribution, habitat, associated species, the opening mechanism of campylidia and likely dispersal processes of conidia.

The Tasmanian species of the family Thelotremataceae with thin-walled ascospores and exfoliating, chroodiscoid apothecia are studied in detail. Problems in the delimitation of genera are discussed, and characters such as the morphology of the apothecia, structure and form of the exciple, presence of periphyses, ascus structure, ascospore morphology and thallus chemistry are evaluated. The concept of the typically foliicolous genus Chroodiscus (Müll. Arg.) Müll. Arg. is expanded to include corticolous and terricolous species, and the new taxa C. asteliae Kantvilas & Vězda, C. australis Kantvilas & Vězda, C. australis subsp. tasmanicus Kantvilas & Vězda, C. lamelliferus Kantvilas & Vězda and C. minor Kantvilas & Vězda are described and illustrated. The related Australasian species, C. megalophthalmus (Müll. Arg.) Vězda & Kantvilas is also treated. Two new genera are also described. Pseudoramonia Kantvilas & Vězda, based on the Venezuelan species, P. stipitata (Vězda & Hertel) Kantvilas & Vězda, is introduced to accommodate P. richeae Kantvilas & Vězda; Topeliopsis Kantvilas & Vězda is described to include the Tasmanian taxa, T. muscicola Kantvilas & Vězda and T. rugosa Kantvilas & Vězda, and the North American species T. toensbergii Vězda & Kantvilas.

Caloplaca erecta Arup & H. Mayrhofer is described here as new to science. It belongs to a group of dwarf-fruticose species, but cannot be accommodated within any of the known species of that group. It forms dense cushions of erect lobes on siliceous rocks, and is known only from Mt. Maungatua. This is the second dwarf-fruticose species of Caloplaca in the Australasian area, in addition to C. cribosa.

The lichen flora of 40 lakes in England, Scotland and Wales is described and related to ecological variables. A zonation scheme consisting of four overlapping bands of lichen vegetation related to height above water level has been adopted. Due to the lack of scour, and the influence of wave action, they do not correspond exactly to the zones identified beside streams, so have been named ‘splash zones’. About a hundred species are involved, a number being rarely recorded aquatic specialists. The flora of all zones is strongly influenced by the alkalinity and pH of the water which have provided a framework for arranging the communities. Lichens are reliable indicators of the sequence: acid, very soft, soft and medium hard water bodies. An investigation into the effect of man-induced eutrophication was undertaken. Other factors of ecological importance are shade and humidity. The conservation of the lake habitat is discussed and a comparison made between streamside and lakeside communities.

The edge effect of large clear-cuts on the epiphytic lichen flora of Picea abies in old-growth forest fragments was studied at three south-exposed and four north-exposed forest clear-cut edges in middle boreal Finland. The sampling of the species cover on trunk bases was carried out along four transects parallel to the forest margin: (1) at the forest margin, (2) 10 m from the margin, (3) 20 m from the margin and (4) 50 m from the margin. In addition, control trees were sampled > 100 m from nearest edge. Our results showed that the epiphytic lichen species diversity was lower at the forest margin than in the forest interior for sunny south-facing edges, while the species diversity in north-exposed edges was independent of the distance from the forest margin. The cover of a common and abundant lichen species, Parmeliopsis ambigua, was slightly higher at the forest edge and decreased inside the forest for both south-exposed and north-exposed edges.

Sections of the crustose saxicolous lichen, Caloplaca trachyphylla, were dated using 14C accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The data show a stron linear dependence of radial position on time (r=0.993), suggesting a constant radial growth rate. This specimen had averaged a marginal growth rate of 1.48 mm/year. Extrapolation of the growth curve yields a thallus age of 20 years. These data demonstrate the feasibility of using AMS technology to precisely date lichen tissues and determine growth rates of lichen thalli.