A new moss species, Hyophila marginata, from Peru is distinctive but intermediate in morphology between H. involuta and the rare West Indian Teniolophora fluviatilis. Teniolophora is synonymized with the earlier name Hyophila. The difference between Hyophila and Plaubelia is clarified with a key, and Quaesticula is synonymized with Plaubelia. New combinations are Hyophila fluviatilis, Plaubelia navicularis and P. stomatodonta.

An unusual specimen of the genus Ptychanthus (Lejeuneaceae) was collected in Xizang, differing from the common P. striatus in the perianth, having only five, wing-like keels (one dorsal, two lateral and two ventral), the lateral and ventral keels being sharper than the dorsal one. Molecular-phylogenetic analysis of chloroplast and nuclear DNA sequences showed that the plant was deeply nested within P. striatus. As the differences in perianth structure could not be attributed to plasticity, we interpret the phylogenetic position of the plant as the result of a recent speciation process and describe it as a new variety, P. striatus var. motuoensis.

In 2019, during May to September a unique lichen occurring on soil was collected from four different localities in Deosai National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Phylogenetic analysis of the nrDNA ITS and LSU regions revealed that it clustered within the genus Placidium. Further morpho-anatomical and chemical analyses proved its novelty, and it is here described as a new species under the name P. deosaiense. The distinguishing characters of this novel taxon are brown to blackish 2–7 mm wide squamules, undulating in the center, epruinose at margins, epinecral layer up to 70 µm, cylindrical asci with ellipsoid to narrowly ellipsoid ascospores and clavate to bacilliform pycnidiospores.

We utilized ITS and mtSSU sequence data to study the phylogenetic relationships of Lepraria samples collected in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia, Chile, New Zealand and Antarctica. Morphological characters and the secondary chemistry of the specimens were also examined. Using a combination of morphological, chemical and molecular data, we identified nine lineages in our material. The lineages are: Lepraria toilenae, L. eburnea, L. nothofagi, L. straminea, L. caerulescens, L. finkii, and three previously undescribed clades that are here described as L. chileana, L. neozelandica and L. ulrikii. The first is described from Chile. The second occurs in New Zealand, and the third has an Australasian distribution, occurring in New Zealand, mainland Australia, and Tasmania. In addition, L. straminea is identified as an usnic acid-producing species of the genus Lepraria. Moreover, L. caerulescens is confirmed as a distinct species.

Sticta, the most diverse genus of the Lobarioideae (Ascomycota: Peltigeraceae), contains species easily recognized by the presence of genuine cyphellae on the lower cortex of the thallus. Two new species collected in typical cerrado vegetation in Central Brazil are described as S. cerradensis and S. porella, including morphological, anatomical, and molecular analyses based on the ITS region. The two new taxa belong to one of the major Sticta clades, which contains mostly New World species. This work shows that the cerrado, a global biodiversity hotspot located in the center of South America, could contain a great diversity of new species of lichenized fungi.

Capronia harrisiana, a lichenicolous fungus on the tripartite foliose lichen Crocodia aurata, is described as new to science. Although the host species is widespread in many areas of the world, no species of Capronia has previously been reported from Crocodia aurata, and Capronia harrisiana appears to be endemic to the southern Appalachian Mountains in southeastern North America. The new species is characterized by 50–120 µm wide ascomata, 40–95 µm long setae, (1–)3-septate, pale brown, 11.9–15.7 × 4.4–5.8 µm ascospores, and an I+ red hymenium. An updated key to the lichenicolous species of Capronia is provided.

Eighteen described Acarosporaceae are reported from the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico. Ten species reported by Magnusson from northern New Mexico were collected in the Chihuahuan Desert. Four species described by Magnusson are revised and taken out of synonymy: Acarospora amabilis, A. applanata, A. carnegiei and A. tenebrica. The squamulose yellow species A. organensis, new for science, was determined as A. xanthophana by Magnusson, a species endemic to South America. Acarospora organensis differs in having a higher hymenium than the two common and similar squamulose species, A. socialis from coastal Mexico and California and A. radicata from the New Mexican, Mojave and Sonoran Deserts. Acarospora subcontigua is reported new for North America.

The following seven new species of pyrenocarpous lichens are described from Monte Pascoal in Bahia (Brazil): Astrothelium citrisporum Aptroot, Oliveira-Junior & M.Cáceres, with thallus ochraceous, UV-negative, ascomata fused in hemispherical, concolorous pseudostromata, hamathecium not inspersed, and ascospores submuriform, 5 × 1–2-septate, 35–40 × 18–20 µm, citriform, both ends pointed; A. eustominspersum Aptroot & Oliveira-Junior, with thallus pale greyish olivaceous, UV-negative, ascomata fused, ostiole UV+ yellow, hamathecium inspersed, and ascospores 3-septate, 25–27 × 7–7.5 µm; A. flavogigasporum Aptroot, with thallus olivaceous, UV-negative, ascomata single, ostioles apical, hamathecium yellowish (K-negative) inspersed, and ascospores 4/ascus, hyaline, densely muriform, 240–260 × 33–38 µm, long-ellipsoid, without thickened central septum; A. medioincrassatum Aptroot & M.Cáceres, with thallus olivaceous, UV-negative, ascomata fused in inconspicuous groups, ostioles lateral, hamathecium not inspersed, and ascospores 9–11-septate, 98–115 × 23–27 µm, long-ellipsoid, with thickened central septum; Pseudopyrenula gelatinosa Aptroot, with thallus UV-negative, ascomata solitary, ostioles apical, hamathecium not inspersed, and ascospores 3-septate, 34–37 × 9–10.5 µm, wall 1 µm thick, surrounded by a 9–10.5 µm thick gelatinous sheath; Pyrenula salmonea Aptroot, with thallus salmon pink, ascomata solitary, ostioles apical, hamathecium densely hyaline inspersed, and ascospores 3-septate, uniseriate, 24–27 × 13–16 µm, ellipsoid, lumina oval to somewhat angular, broader than long, without endospore between the outer lumina and the ascospore wall; and P. sanguineoastroidea Aptroot with thallus olivaceous, UV-negative, ascomata fused, deeply immersed in the bark, ostioles lateral, hamathecium not inspersed, and ascospores 3-septate, 24–27 × 10–12 µm, long-ellipsoid, lumina rhomboid, with thick endospore layer between the outer lumina and the ascospore wall. A further 353 species are reported, of which 12 are first records for Brazil and 192 are first records for the state of Bahia, despite it being one of the states of Brazil that is best investigated lichenologically. A graph is presented with the cumulative number of species collected after a certain time of fieldwork. It does not significantly level off, suggesting that many more species occur in the area. A key to the Pyrenula species known from Brazil is presented.

Morphological, molecular-genetic, and phytogeographic analyses of the type section of the genus Scapania resulted in the description of a new species for science Scapania pseudouliginosa, the resurrection of S. gigantea, and segregation of a new subsection Giganteae, including mainly East Asian taxa with thick- to thin-walled median leaf cells with distinct trigones and a few large oil bodies. The key to species of the section and color photomicrographs of S. gigantea, S. pseudouliginosa and S. sichuanica are provided. Scapania rufidula, S. serrulata, S. sichuanica and S. pseudouliginosa demonstrate morphological parallelism with some species of the sections Compactae, Nemorosae, Stephania, and Curtae, respectively. The distinctions of these species are discussed. The parallelism may have resulted from the similarity of their habitats in different phytogeographic areas.

Few data are available about cuticular wax of mosses, in general, as well as for Polytrichaceae. In addition, most of these studies investigated only the gametophyte. To improve understanding of wax components and their ecological roles, we compared the morphology and the chemical composition of cuticular waxes of the gametophyte and the sporophyte of the Brazilian species Pogonatum pensilvanicum, Polytrichadelphus pseudopolytrichum (endemic), and Polytrichum juniperinum. The waxes were extracted with dichloromethane, derivatized and analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The total wax content was expressed in µg cm^–2 and the compounds were identified based on mass fragmentation patterns. The morphology of epicuticular waxes was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Thicker wax layers were observed over the leafy gametophyte and the calyptra, ranging from 0.2 to 0.3 µg cm^–2. For the sporophyte, the wax layer was not homogeneous, ranging from 0.01 to 0.04 µg cm^–2 over the seta and from 0.07 to 0.2 µg cm^–2 over the capsule. While alkanes and fatty acids were found in the two generations, primary alcohols were detected only in the leaves, and aldehydes and esters were found only in the sporophyte. Nonacosan-10-ol was more abundant in the calyptra and capsule. Film waxes were predominant in the gametophyte and sporophyte. Qualitative and quantitative differences were detected in wax composition according to life phases. As far as we know, this is the first time that the sporophyte parts were investigated separately. We hypothesized that the higher wax content in the calyptra may contribute to the protection of the capsule; however, this idea needs to be confirmed. Besides, our data support previous statements that the biosynthetic machinery for wax components was present in the earliest land plants, protecting both the gametophyte and the sporophyte.

Gaolejeunea was previously known as a monospecific genus endemic to China. Specimens of an undescribed species belonging to the genus were recently found in Singapore. Critical assessments of morphological characters and phylogenetic analyses based on genetic sequence data of three regions (trnL-F, rbcL, nrITS) unequivocally confirmed and supported its recognition as a new and second species of Gaolejeunea. Gaolejeunea hoi sp. nov. is here fully described and illustrated. The new species is characterized by its faintly Allorgella-type marginal denticulations, the ental hyaline papilla attached to the apical margin, the bracteoles present only at the base of each androecium, gynoecia with innovation(s), perianth with wing-shaped lateral keels.