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Eight lichenicolous fungi are reported as new records from India: Cladophialophora aff. megalosporae, Nesolechia falcispora, Phacopsis oxyspora var. defecta, Punctelia oxyspora, Sclerococcum phaeophysciae, Scutula epiblastematica, Spirographa lichenicola, and Zwackhiomyces kantvilasii. Also reported are new hosts for Cladophialophora aff. megalosporae, Nesolechia falcispora, Sclerococcum phaeophysciae, Scutula epiblastematica, and Zwackhiomyces kantvilasii.

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.

Bacidia pycnidiata (Ramalinaceae), Malmidea nigromarginata (Malmideaceae), Porina malmei and P. nuculastrum (Porinaceae), and Pyrenula laetior and P. wrightii (Pyrenulaceae) are reported for the first time from India. The specimens were collected from the state of Assam. Taxonomic descriptions, distributions, and illustrations are provided for each species.

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.

Chapsa cinchonarum, C. farinosa, Diorygma sticticum, Fissurina albocinerea, Graphis bungartzii, G. discarpa, G. nigririmis, Ocellularia alba, Phaeographis pseudostromatica, Sarcographa verrucosa, and Thelotrema crassisporum are described and illustrated as new records for India.

The present paper deals with 25 new records of lichens under 19 genera and 11 families for the state of Assam in India. The newly reported species from Assam are Alyxoria apomelaena, A. culmigena, A. varia, Caloplaca pseudisteroides, Cryptothecia striata, Diorygma rupicola, Dirinaria papillulifera, Flavoplaca citrina, Graphis sundarbanensis, Herpothallon echinatum, Lecanographa rufa, Letrouitia muralis, Myriotrema clandestinum, Opegrapha discolor, Parmotrema crinitoides, Phaeophyscia hispidula, Porina eminentior, P. interstes, P. mastoidella, Pyrenula submastophora, P. thelomorpha, Rinodina oxydata, Synarthonia bicolor, Zwackhia bonplandii, and Z. viridis. Brief descriptions of these additional lichen taxa from Assam are provided to facilitate their identification.

A new species Enterographa assamica, in the family Roccellaceae sensu lato is described from Assam, India. It is characterized by whitish grey thallus, rounded to elongate ascomata with yellowish-white thalline margin and presence of lichexanthone and confluentic acid in the thallus. A key to all the known species of Enterographa in India is also provided.

The lichen species Alyxoria culmigena (Lib.) Ertz collected from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is reported as a new record to India. A detailed description and figures of new record along with distribution map and key to all known Alyxoria species in India are provided.

The lichenicolous species of genus Melaspilea has been studied. As a result, a new species Melaspilea amarkantakensis has been described and M. insitiva has been lectotypified. The new species grows on the thallus and ascomata of Pertusaria species in ‘sal’ forests of central India and is characterized by relatively small, blackish ascomata, I– and K/I+ pale blue hymenium, 4-spored, shorter, 25.4–33.2 × 14.3–20.2 μm asci and 1-septate, (12.1–)13.3–16.0(–17.5) × (5.0–)6.1–7.6(–8.9) μm ascospores lacking perispore.

The type specimens of Synarthonia bicolor and S. stigmatidialis were examined, leading the authors to revise their descriptions as well as the generic description. Also, two new species of Synarthonia, viz. S. psoromica and S. sikkimensis are described from India. Synarthonia psoromica, collected from the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, is characterized by immersed synascomata and the presence of psoromic acid. Synarthonia sikkimensis, collected from Sikkim-Himalaya, is characterized by the sorediate thallus with a rhizomorph-like prothallus. These distinguishing characters are observed for the first time in Synarthonia. After considering the protologue of the recently described S. sarcographoides, a comprehensive account of this genus is made. In addition, a world key to all known species of Synarthonia is provided.

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).

Lithographa olivacea Fryday, a lichenized fungus is reported as new generic as well as specific record for India, based on the collections made from Neora Valley National Park, West Bengal. The species is characterized by its saxicolous habit, lirellate ascomata, and simple or submuriform hyaline ascospores. A detailed description and figures are provided to facilitate its identification.

The present paper deals with two new records for India of the genus Opegrapha viz., O. subdimidiata from West Bengal and O. xerica from Sikkim. A detailed account and figures of the both species are provided to facilitate their identification.

A lichen species Syncesia farinacea (Fée) Tehler collected from the Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu is reported as new to India. A detailed description and figures along with additional information about its pycnidia, oil globules in young ascomata and rare isidia like structures not mentioned in earlier reports for this species are also provided.

The critically endangered Berberis nilghiriensis Ahrendt, endemic to the Nilgiri hills in South India is rediscovered after 140 years, with three extant populations of ca. 25 individuals in the Nilgiri hills. Taxonomic treatment along with threat status, ecology, and economic uses are provided and urgent conservation is suggested to prevent its local extinction as the species is exposed to continued anthropogenic disturbances.

Two lichen species, Bacidia arceutina (Ach.) Rehm & Arnold and B. heterochroa (Müll. Arg.) Zahlbr., from Sikkim are reported as new to India.

A corticolous lichen, Opegrapha irosina Vain., is reported as new record for India based on collections from Kerala and West Bengal.

A corticolous lichen species, Opegrapha granulosa Siljo & G. P. Sinha, with a UV+ pale yellow thallus, is described as new to science from the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal, India.