Biatora Britannica sp. nov is described from Wales. The species is the sorediate sister taxon of the Madeiran Biatora hertelii. The close relationship is supported by the presence of the hymenial pigment Hertelii-green, which is hitherto known only from these two species. Molecular data from the nuclear ITS-region of 14 Bratora¯ species renders further support for the close relationship of both species. Sterile, sorediate material from the British Isles earlier referred to B. efflorescens may in fact belong to B. britannica.

In the framework of ongoing studies on tropical representatives of Bacidiasensu lato, six species so far included in that genus are transferred to Fellhanera: Fellhanera Africana(Vězda) Lücking comb. nov. (Bas.: Bacidia Africana (Vězda), Fellhanera albidocincta Vain.) Lücking comb. nov. (Bas.: Bilimbia albidocincta Vain.), Fellhanera fragilis (Vězda) Lücking & Kalb comb. nov. (Bas.: Bacidia fragilis (Vězda), Fellhanera mastothallina (Vain.) Lücking & Serus. comb.nov. (Bas.: Bacidia mastothallina Vain.), Fellhanera naevia(Vain.) Lücking & Caceres comb. nov. (Bas.: Bacidia naevia Vain.), and Fellhanera submicrommata (Vězda) Lücking & Kalb comb. nov. (Bas.: Bacidia submicrommata Vězda). Fellhanera angustispora Lücking is reduced into synonymy with F. naevia.

Based on collections gathered by H. Streimann and J. A. Elix in Papua New Guinea, Australia (including Tasmania), and Vanuatu, five new foliicolous lichen species are described: Calenia bullatinoides Lücking, Eremothecella cyaneoides Lücking, Fellhanera tasmanica Lücking & Elix, Fellhaneropsis australiana Lücking, and Porina vanuatuensis Lücking. In addition, the following new combinations are proposed: Coenogonium isidiiferum (Lücking) Lücking [Bas.: Dimerella isidiifera Lücking], Coenogonium lisowskii (Vězda) Lücking [Bas.: Dimerella lisowskii Vězda], Coenogonium queenslandicum (Kalb & Vězda) Lücking [Bas.: Dimerella queenslandica Kalb & Vězda], Echinoplaca tetrapla (Zahlbr.) Lücking [Bas.: Gonolecania tetrapla Zahlbr.], and Porina subepiphylla var. australiensis (Lücking & Vězda) Lücking [Bas.: Porina lucida var. australiensis Lücking & Vězda]. Coenogonium piliferum (Vězda) Kalb & Lěcking [Bas.: Dimerella pilifera Vě zda] is placed into synonymy with Coenogonium epiphyllum Vain. An updated checklist of foliicolous lichens from Australia includes 202 species and excludes five previously reported taxa.

The new species Thyrea porphyrella Schultz, Büdel & Porembski, in the Lichinaceae, is described from tropical South America. It grows on granite inselbergs in SE Brazil and in southern Guyana. Diagnostic characters are the very thin, superficially smooth but conspicuously uneven to folded thallus lobes of reddish-brown to crimson colour.

Epiphytic lichens (and some non-lichenizedfungi) on 34 coppices (204 stems) of Corylus avellana were investigated in a 140 ha study area in south-western Norway. A total of 65 species were recorded on a total bark area of 63 m⊃2. Corylus in broad-leaved deciduous forest supported more species of macrolichens, and fewer species of microlichens, than Corylus in pine forest. The macrolichen flora of the deciduous forest differed from that of the pine forest by having a rich flora of species belonging to the Lobarion alliance. Old Corylus coppices with tall stems (>8 m), large girth (>8cm diameter at breast height) and a noticeable cover of macrolichens (>10% of bark area) supported the highest number of rare species, and overall, species of macrolichens. More than 50% cover of microlichens indicated richness and rarity of microlichens on Corylus. 11 2001 The British Lichen Society

Lichen communities were examined on 62 churches in Mecklenburg–Vorpommern, Germany. Ninety-six lichen species and subspecies, and three species of lichenicolous fungi identified. Tylothallia biformigera and Lecanora campestris subsp. dolomitica are reported as new Germany, and another 20 species are considered as threatened. This implies that the stone walls churches represent an extremely important habitat in Mecklenburg–Vorpommern, where natural outcrops are rare. The distribution of lichen species was analyzed quantitatively in relation to several habitat factors. Aspect, substratum and inclination were found to be important factors for 35, 34 31 species, respectively. The height of the relevé was a significant factor for many species. Twenty-three species, which are described in the literature with oceanic to suboceanic distributions, occur significantly more frequently near the coast. The ways in which microclimate affects each these habitat factors and contributes to the presence or absence of a species or group of species discussed. Some species have narrow and specific habitat demands, whereas others thrive under wide range of environmental conditions. The advantages of a strictly schematic approach with detailed statistical analysis are discussed.

In order to evaluate the relative usefulness of the numerous bio-indication methods that use epiphytes as indicators for air pollution, a range of these different methods was applied within the same region (Flanders, Northern Belgium). The study area shows important air pollution gradients and little climatic differentiation. Ninety-one IAP indices were calculated with data collected in the immediate vicinity of SO⊂2 measuring stations on one randomly chosen tree, on ten neighbouring trees and in a sampling grid placed on the tree carrying the largest number of epiphytes. A large majority of indices showed a significant Spearman rank order correlation with mean SO⊂2 winter values over the 5 years 1990-94. Indices based on a selection of 17 lichens gave better results than those based on all lichens. The latter indices showed higher correlation than those using all epiphytes (including bryophytes). Indices using a quantitative estimate of cover or abundance or a combination of these did not result in a higher correlation. Sampling ten trees gave slightly higher correlation than the grid method or sampling of one tree. Taking into account supplementary evaluation criteria (time investment and degree of lichenological knowledge required), sampling of 17 bio-indicator species using a sampling grid is recommended within the study area. Monitoring the presence of all corticolous lichens within a sampling grid is recommended in general.

On the thalline lobes of Pyxine subdnerea there are delimited patches of pruina consisting of bipyramidal prisms, bipyramids and druses of weddellite, i.e. calcium oxalate dehydrate (COD), as revealed by X-ray analysis and SEM observations. The disappearance of the crystals from older thalline areas is preceded by an increase in the frequency of corrosion figures, in the form of etch square pits, and a decrease in the number of crystals occurring on the thalline surface. These features follow a dissolution gradient from the lobe apex towards the proximal edges of the patches. The corrosion figures are linked to the thermodynamic metastability of COD. Partial dissolution of the crystals, performed in water and in EDTA, has confirmed this latter assumption. It is thought that the disappearance of pruina, which interferes with the transmission of light to the algal layer, may allow the formation of soredia in mature thalline portions.