Neotropical mountain forests are characterized by having hyperdiverse and unusual fungi inhabiting lichens. The great majority of these lichenicolous fungi (i.e., detectable by light microscopy) remain undescribed and their phylogenetic relationships are mostly unknown. This study focuses on lichenicolous fungi inhabiting the genus Lobariella (Peltigerales), one of the most important lichen hosts in the Andean cloud forests. Based on molecular and morphological data, three new genera are introduced: Lawreyella gen. nov. (Cordieritidaceae, for Unguiculariopsis lobariella), Neobaryopsis gen. nov. (Cordycipitaceae), and Pseudodidymocyrtis gen. nov. (Didymosphaeriaceae). Nine additional new species are described (Abrothallus subhalei sp. nov., Atronectria lobariellae sp. nov., Corticifraga microspora sp. nov., Epithamnolia rugosopycnidiata sp. nov., Lichenotubeufia cryptica sp. nov., Neobaryopsis andensis sp. nov., Pseudodidymocyrtis lobariellae sp. nov., Rhagadostomella hypolobariella sp. nov., and Xylaria lichenicola sp. nov.). Phylogenetic placements of 13 lichenicolous species are reported here for Abrothallus, Arthonia, Globonectria, Lawreyella, Monodictys, Neobaryopsis, Pseudodidymocyrtis, Sclerococcum, Trichonectria and Xylaria. The name Sclerococcum ricasoliae comb. nov. is reestablished for the neotropical populations formerly named S. lobariellum (Sclerococcales). A key to sexual and asexual states of 40 species of lobariellicolous ascomycetous fungi is provided. Teleomorph-anamorph connections were established for several species using molecular methods and/or visual observations in nature. Additionally, we found that the anamorphic species Cornutispora ophiurospora inhabiting Lobariella was often accompanied by ascomata of Spirographa. Results of phylogenetic analyses, including newly generated sequences of several Cornutispora and Spirographa species inhabiting various host lichens, support the conclusion that Cornutispora is a synonym of Spirographa. Our Maximum Likelihood inference based on multiple loci show that all studied Spirographa (including Cornutispora) belong to a new lineage within Ostropales. Based on these highly supported phylogenetic placements and the distinct character states of their conidiomata, in comparison with other Lecanoromycetes, a new family is proposed – Spirographaceae fam. nov. This new lineage includes broadly distributed mycoparasites, inhabiting various lichen and fungal hosts, and representing an early diversification event preceding the lichen-forming clade of Fissurinaceae, Gomphillaceae and Graphidaceae. Two lichenicolous species, Asteroglobulus giselae and Pleoscutula arsenii, were found to be nested within the Spirographa clade, and their teleomorph-anamorph connections were confirmed based on genotypic and phenotypic data. This phylogenetic result is corroborated by their highly similar ascomata anatomy. Together these results strongly indicate that both species are congeneric with Spirographa. As a result, four new species (S. aggregata sp. nov., S. galligena sp. nov., S. maroneae sp. nov., and S. parmotrematis sp. nov.) and 15 new combinations are proposed (Spirographa ascaridiella comb. nov., S. arsenii comb. nov., S. ciliata comb. nov., S. giselae comb. nov., S. herteliana comb. nov., S. hypotrachynae comb. nov., S. intermedia comb. nov., S. lichenicola comb. nov., S. limaciformis comb. nov., S. ophiurospora comb. nov., S. pittii comb. nov., S. pyramidalis comb. nov., S. triangularis comb. nov., S. tricupulata comb. nov., and S. vermiformis comb. nov.). Species of the genus Spirographa, as outlined here, are strongly host-specific, mainly at the generic level of their host. Some host genera can harbour more than one Spirographa species.

Ten freshwater lichen species from the Beskid Sądecki Mts are presented. Seven of them: Hydropunctaria rheitrophila, Thelidium aquaticum, T. minutulum, T. zwackhii, Verrucaria dolosa, V. elaeomelaena and V. submersella, are new to the region. Three species: Verrucaria elaeina, V. hydrophila and V. latebrosa, were previously known from single localities.

Abstract. This paper presents seven freshwater lichen species from Western Carpathian streams: Bryobilimbia ahlesii (Körb.) Fryday et al., Rhizocarpon sublavatum Fryday, Thelidium circumspersellum (Nyl.) Zschacke, T. klementii Servít, T. pluvium Orange, T. rehmii Zschacke and Verrucaria devensis (G. Salisbury) Orange. All of them are first records for Poland. Thelidium klementii is new for the Carpathians and was previously known only from the type locality in Germany. Morphological descriptions based on Polish specimens are presented, and the ecology and geographical distribution of these lichens are briefly discussed.

Lichens associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats are a specific ecological group of symbiotic organisms. Distribution patterns, especially those of freshwater lichens and factors determining their occurrence, are poorly recognized. The species richness and composition of lichens were studied in the splash and submerged zones of Carpathian mountain streams. Habitat parameters, including pH, water conductivity, dissolved oxygen content, silting and light intensity at sampling sites, were used in the analysis. The streams differed greatly in terms of the species composition; only three lichens (Thelidium minutulum, Verrucaria hydrophila and V. praetermissa) of the entire pool of 29 recorded species were found in all streams. This fact does not directly relate to the habitat parameters measured either at the level of individual streams or considering all the streams studied. Instead, the differences in the species composition of lichens increased with the geographical distance between streams, even locally. This means that the occurrence of lichens in mountain streams is strongly site-dependent and the variability in the habitat is of less importance for species presence. Presumably lack of effective natural vectors and weak dispersal ability are strong limiting factors for freshwater lichens. Nevertheless, increased ion concentration in water can considerably promote the development of the thalli of some species of lichens, as in the case of Verrucaria praetermissa, while it can be a limiting factor for others, as in the case of V. hydrophila.