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Molecular phylogenies based on the ITS­LSU nrDNA and part of the ß­tubulin region were used to investigate the position of Neuropogon in Usnea s. lat. Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony strongly supported the monophyly of Neuropogon. Subgenus Usnea and Neuropogon form a strongly supported group with subg. Eumitria and subg. Dolichousnea as consecutive monophyletic sister groups. The following generic classification is proposed: Usnea (subgenus Usnea only), Neuropogon, Eumitria, and Dolichousnea. Dolichousnea is elevated to generic rank. Usnea as presently conceived is clearly non­monophyletic but with the present recircumscription it may be monophyletic, or not; this requires further analysis. The genera are well characterised morphologically, and pending further investigations this classification is in agreement with current practice and minimises the need for nomenclatural changes. The following new combinations are made: Dolichousnea (Y. Ohmura) Articus, Dolichousnea longissima (Ach.) Articus, D. trichodeoides (Vain.) Articus, D. diffracta (Vain.) Articus, and Eumitria pectinata (Taylor) Articus.

A new chloro-depsidone (1) and five known compounds, variolaric acid (2), lecanoric acid (3), alpha-alectoronic acid (4), atranorin (5), and ergosterol peroxide (6), have been isolated from the lichen Ochrolechia parella. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. Additionally, the tautomeric equilibrium of compound 4 was investigated. In the present study, two specimens of this lichen, growing under different light conditions, were analyzed. The major compound in both samples was found to be 2, but the amount of this metabolite was significantly higher in the shaded specimen (0.76% w/w). The new compound parellin (1) predominated in the specimen grown under shady conditions, while atranorin (5) was found only in the sunlit specimen. The cytotoxic activities of 2, 4, and 6 against B16 melanoma cells were evaluated.

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