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The present study reports 14 lichenized and two lichenicolous fungi new to the mycota of Jammu & Kashmir. The lichenized fungi are Buellia aeruginascens (Nyl.) Zahlbr., Caloplaca pachycheila Poelt & Hinter., Cladonia cervicornis ssp. verticillata (Hoffm.) Ahti, Hafellia curatellae (Malme) Marbach, Hafellia subnexa Marbach, Hafellia tetrapla (Nyl.) Pusswald, Leptogium askotense D.D.Awasthi, Nephromopsis laii (A. Thell & Randlane) Saag & A.Thell, Polycauliona phlogina (Ach.) Arup, Frödén & Søchting, Pyxine cognata Stirt., Rinodina conradii Körb., Rinodina intermedia Bagl., Rinodina oxydata (A.Massal.) A.Massal., and Squamulea squamosa (B.deLesd.) Arup, Søchting & Frödén. The lichenicolous fungi include Abrothallus microspermus Tul. and Lichenoconium lecanorae (Jaap) D.Hawksw. The species are enumerated along with their present distribution.

The present paper deals with new records of lichen species from the state of Kerala, India. The study was conducted as part of the exploration of lichen mycota from the croplands and forests of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala. Field study and collection of specimens were conducted during the period 2017-2019. Specimens were identified using standard procedures, keys and literature followed by preservation and deposition in the recognized herbaria of the country (LWG and RHK). Eleven species of lichens, Cladonia praetermissa A.W. Archer, Collema japonicum (Müll. Arg.) Hue, Heterodermia hypochraea (Vain.) Swinscow & Krog, Leptogium coralloideum (Meyen & Flot.) Vain., Pannaria emodii P.M. Jørg., Phyllopsora chlorophaea (Müll. Arg.) Zahlbr., Phyllopsora parvifolia var. subgranulosa (Tuck.) Müll. Arg., Physcia dilatata Nyl., Physcia dubia (Hoffm.) Lettau, Physcia sorediosa (Vain.) Lynge, and Pseudocyphellaria clathrata (De Not.) Malme are being reported for the first time from Kerala. These are enumerated along with their present distribution. This study further enriches the lichen diversity of the state.

Lichen research in India observed a rapid development in the recent years. Singh and Sinha (2010) in their publication “Indian Lichens: An Annotated Checklist” listed most of the references available untill the book was sent to press. In continuation of the same in this communication we gather a total of 638 research articles, books and Ph.D. thesis published since 2010. The missing publication (if any) in this list as well as new ones would be listed in the last issue of every forthcoming volume of the journal. myresearchjournals

The present communication includes a list of 411 species of lichens under 147 genera reported or described from India after the publication of “Indian Lichens: An Annotated Checklist” by Singh and Sinha (2010). According to latest issue of Plant Discoveries 2016 (Singh and Dash, 2017) 2511 species of lichens are known from India. However, a thorough collation including less popular and online journals where taxonomic novelties in the form of new records are not mentioned, revealed significant increase during the past seven years. By addition of 411 species to the list of Singh and Sinha (2010), now the total number of lichens for India raises up to 2714 species. However, due to nomenclature changes and synonymy, revisions, etc. this data may change. Few species which were not included in Singh and Sinha (2010) are also included in this list. Species simply transferred to other genera without affecting the number tally are not listed here. Like-wise obligate lichenicolous and non-lichenized fungi are not included in the present list. The current list indicates that large number of taxa are reported from the family Graphidaceae (106 spp.) where genus Graphis alone counts 34 species. Large number of taxa are also reported from order Arthoniales (52 species) with Opegrapha representing 17 species. The species listed here follows the pattern of; species name (in bold), reference, and name of the state from where the species is reported. For the references cited in this paper readers may refer ‘Bibliography to the Indian lichens from the year 2010 onwards’ by Joseph et. al. (2018) published in the same issue of this journal.

Additional distribution of 25 species of the genus Cryptothecia from different states of India has been provided. Earlier these species were known from limited localities, and currently, they are recorded from the almost all parts of India which is discussed in the present paper. The present study is based on observation of a large number of specimens annotated as ‘sterile specimen’ and other voucher specimens preserved at CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute herbarium (LWG).