Aspicilia goettweigensis is a poorly known species from xerothermic siliceous rocks in Europe. It is considered to be common in the Czech Republic and it is new to Hungary and Russia. The main diagnostic character is formation of cracked, popcorn-like, areoles in the central parts of the thalli. Analysis of nrITS sequences revealed its close relationship to Aspicilia subdepressa and A. volcanica. TLC revealed stictic acid in analysed A. goettweigensis samples. A key to non-lobate Aspicilia with stictic acid known from Europe is provided.

We present taxonomic, distributional and ecological notes on Fennoscandian crustose lichens and lichenicolous fungi, based on new collections as well as revision of herbarium material. Two new combinations are proposed: Frutidella furfuracea comb. nov. for F. pullata and Puttea duplex comb. nov. for Fellhanera duplex. Lecidea byssoboliza, L. carneoglauca and Variolaria torta are all reduced to synonymy with Bacidia antricola, Bacidia invertens is synonymized with B. igniarii, B. atrolivida with Mycobilimbia tetramera, and Gyalidea fruticola with Thelenella pertusariella. A new description is provided for Micarea hylocomii. 25 species of lichens and lichenicolous fungi are reported as new to Finland, Norway and/or Sweden: Absconditella lignicola (Norway), Bacidia antricola (Norway), B. polychroa (Norway), B. pycnidata (Sweden), Bacidina adastra (Sweden), Biatora veteranorum (Norway), Briancoppinsia cytospora (Finland), Catillaria scotinodes (Norway), Cliostomum subtenerum (Norway), Dirina fallax (Sweden), Fellhaneropsis almquistiorum (Norway), Gyalidea subscutellaris (Sweden), Lecania inundata (Norway), L. suavis (Norway), Micarea capitata (Norway), M. deminuta (Norway), M. hylocomii (Sweden), M. lynceola (Sweden), M. soralifera (Sweden), M. subconfusa (Sweden), Mycoblastus sanguinarioides (Finland, Sweden), Paralecia pratorum (Sweden), Puttea duplex (Sweden), Sarcogyne algoviae (Finland) and Toninia subnitida (Norway). Lectotypes are designated for Bacidia antricola, Lecidea byssoboliza, Lecidea carneoglauca, Lecidea subconfusa and Lecidea submoestula.

Aspicilia farinosa sensu auct. (syn. Lecanora farinosa sensu Nyl.) is a species well distinguished from the type of Aspicilia farinosa (Florke) Flagey. Since no valid name is available, it is here described as Lobothallia controversa CI.Roux & A.Nordin, and a detailed description is provided. The new species is closely related to L. chadefaudiana Cl. Roux and has two chemotypes.

Acarospora cinerascens is accepted as distinct from A. versicolor based on larger spores and areoles as well as apothecia with a higher hymenium. Acarospora cinerascens is lectotypified. Acarospora alboatra is a synonym of A. cinerascens.

Acarospora badiofusca has an irregularly areolate thallus with an uninterrupted algal layer; it is a montane species and occurs in Asia, North America and Europe. Acarospora boulderensis differs from A. badiofusca in having a squamulose thallus, an interrupted algal layer and a higher hymenium. Acarospora boulderensis was considered a synonym of A. badiofusca by North American taxonomists, but is here recognized as a distinct species occurring in North America. Acarospora asperata H. Magn. is revised as a synonym of A. boulderensis. Acarospora irregularis from central Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia), as well as Greece and Italy (Sardinia), was considered a synonym of either A. badiofusca by Weber or of A. nitrophila by Clauzade and Roux. It differs, like A. boulderensis, from A. badiofusca in having a squamulose thallus, an interrupted algal layer and usually a higher hymenium. However, A. irregularis differs from A. boulderensis in having wider hyphal bundles interrupting the algal layer and distinct algal palisades. Acarospora badiofusca var. lepidioides is synonymized with A. irregularis.

Phylogenetic relationships of Stereocaulon with emphasis on the crustose taxa were studied based on nuclear ribosomal ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and partial beta-tubulin sequences. The placement of four of the six crustose species currently included in the genus has previously been confirmed based on molecular data. It has, however, remained unresolved whether the crustose growth form is a plesiomorphic or apomorphic feature within Stereocaulon, due to contradictory placements of the crustose species in earlier studies. The aim of this study was to clarify the position of the crustose species by including additional data, especially of S. nivale and S. plicatile, which have not been included in previous analyses. The inclusion of S. plicatile in the genus is of particular interest as it is the only species in the genus with submurifrom to muriform ascospores. Altogether 37 specimens representing 31 species of the ingroup, including all the crustose Stereocaulon species, were incorporated in the analyses. Conventional, as well as direct optimization parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses were performed. The results show that the crustose species do not form a monophyletic entity and that the crustose growth form is a plesiomorphic feature within Stereocaulon. The crustose S. nivale and S. plicatile are nested within the genus and their inclusion in Stereocaulon is thereby confirmed. The nested position of S. plicatile indicates that the submuriform to muriform spore type has been gained independently within the genus. Here, S. plicatile is also reported for the first time from Scandinavia.

Amandinea lignicola is described from Washington, USA, and British Columbia,Canada, on the Pacific coast of North America where it is lignicolous ondriftwood. The presence of soredia makes it distinct from all other speciescurrently assigned to Amandinea.