Lichens in India

LIST OF FAMILIES AND GENERA OF LICHEN IN INDIA

Lichens, nature’s most unique and successful alliances constitute one of the important components of biodiversity and occur on various substrata such as bark and twigs of trees, rocks, soil, and leaves in almost all suitable climatic conditions starting from tropical to alpine regions and polar regions of Antarctica. In India, they are represented by 2532 species under 324 genera and 78 families including 541 endemic (21.3 %) species (G.P. Sinha, unpublished data). Although lichens occur everywhere in the country but their major centres of diversity and occurrence in India are Eastern Himalaya, Northeastern India, Western Ghats, Western Himalaya and Andaman and Nicobar islands. These grow from sea level to 5000 m altitude and show their best manifestation in tropical to temperate regions.

Lichens are very useful to people in diverse cultures, especially as a source of stuff, dyes, crude drugs, medicines, perfumery, agrochemicals and other useful compounds. A variety of natural products isolated from lichens have been found to exhibit a wide range of potentially useful biological activities such as inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis, cancer growth, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic effects.

These have even greater potential for novel biological activities including inhibition of tyrosinase, inhibition of activation of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), Superoxide Dimutase-like (SOD-like) activity, antibacterial and antifungal activities. Now days, lichens have been used worldwide to evaluate air quality, climate change, as well as an effective early-warning system to detect accumulation of heavy metals and radioactive materials in terrestrial ecosystems. Lichens are excellent indicators of ecosystem health and play a significant role in nature, influencing soil fertility through nutrients and nitrogen fixation, in addition to water cycle and other significance.

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Family	Genera
Acarosporaceae	1. Acarospora A. Massal. 2. Glypholecia Nyl. 3. Pleopsidium Körb. 4. Sarcogyne Flot.
Agyriaceae	1. Trapeliopsis Hertel & Gotth. Schneid 2. Xylographa (Fr.) Fr.
Arthoniaceae	1. Arthonia Ach. 2. Cryptothecia Stirt. 3. Herpothallon Tobler 4. Stirtonia A.L. Sm.
Arthopyreniaceae	1. Arthopyrenia A. Massal. 2. Mycomicrothelia Keissl.
Aspidotheliaceae	1. Aspidothelium Vain.
Asterothyriaceae	1. Asterothyrium Müll. Arg.
Baeomycetaceae	1. Baeomyces Pers.
Biatorellaceae	1. Biatorella De Not.
Caliciaceae	1. Acroscyphus Lëv. 2. Amandinea M. Choisy ex Scheid. & H. Mayrhofer 3. Baculifera Marbach & Kalb 4. Buellia De Not. 5. Calicium Pers. 6. Cratiria Marbach 7. Cyphelium Ach. 8. Dimelaena Norman em Beltr. 9. Diploicia A. Massal. 10. Dirinaria (Tuck.) Clem. 11. Hafellia Kalb & al. 12. Pyxine Fr. 13. Sculptolumina Marbach

Family	Genera
Candelariaceae	1. Candelaria A. Massal. 2. Candelariella Müll. Arg.
Catillariaceae	1. Catillaria A. Massal. 2. Placolecis Trevis. 3. Toninia A. Massal.
Chrysothricaceae	1. Chrysothrix Mont.
Cladoniaceae	1. Cladia Nyl. 2. Cladonia P. Browne 3. Gymnoderma Nyl. 4. Pilophorus Th. Fr.
Coccocarpaceae	1. Coccocarpia Pers.
Coenogoniaceae	1. Coenogonium Ehrenb.
Collemataceae	1. Collema Weber ex F.H. Wigg. 2. Leptogium (Ach.) Gray 3. Physma A. Massal.
Coniocybaceae	1. Coniocybe Ach.
Crocyneaceae	1. Crocynia (Ach.) A. Massal.
Ectolechiaceae	1. Badimia Vězda 2. Calopadia Vězda 3. Lasioloma R. Sant. 4. Loflammia Vězda 5. ? Lopadium Körb. 6. Sporopodium Mont. 7. ? Tapellaria Müll. Arg.
Fuscideaceae	1. Maronea A. Massal.
Gomphillaceae	1. Aderkomyces Bat. 2. Aulaxina Fée 3. Calenia Müll. Arg. 4. Caleniopsis Vězda & Poelt 5. Echinoplaca Fée 6. Gyalectidium Müll. Arg.

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Family	Genera
Gomphillaceae (Contd…)	7. Gyalideopsis Vězda 8. Tricharia Fée
Graphidaceae	1. Acanthothecis Clem. 2. Anomomorpha Nyl. ex Hue 3. Carbacanthographis Staiger & Kalb 4. Diorygma Eschw. 5. Dyplolabia A. Massal. 6. Fissurina Fée 7. Glyphis Ach. 8. Graphina Müll. Arg. 9. Graphis Adans. 10. Hemithecium Trevis. 11. Leiorreuma Eschw. 12. Pallidogramme Staiger & al. 13. Phaeographina Müll. Arg. 14. Phaeographis Müll. Arg. 15. Phaeographopsis Sipman 16. Platygramme Fée 17. Platythecium Staiger 18. Sarcographa Fée 19. ? Schistophoron Stirt. 20. Thalloloma Trevis. 21. Thecaria Fée
Gyalectaceae	1. Cryptolechia A. Massal. 2. Gyalecta Ach.
Haematommataceae	1. Haematomma A. Massal.
Hymeneliaceae	1. Eiglera Hafellner 2. Ionaspis Th. Fr.
Icmadophilaceae	1. Dibaeis Clem. 2. Icmadophila Trevis.

Family	Genera
Icmadophilaceae (Contd…)	3. Siphula Fr. 4. Thamnolia Ach. ex Schaer
Lecanoraceae	1. Carbonea (Hertel) Hertel 2. Lecanora Ach. 3. Lecidella Körb. 4. Ramboldia Kantvilas & Elix 5. Rhizoplaca Zopf
Lecideaceae	1. Lecidea Ach.
Letrouitiaceae	1. Letrouitia Hafellner & Bellem.
Lichinaceae	1. Anema Nyl. 2. Heppia Nageli ex A. Massal. 3. Lempholemma Körb. 4. Peccania A. Massal. ex Arnold 5. Phylliscum Nyl. 6. Psorotichia A. Massal. 7. Thyrea A. Massal. 8. Zahlbrucknerella Herre
Lobariaceae	1. Lobaria (Schreb.) Hoffm. 2. Lobarina (Vain.) Nyl. ex Cromb. 3. Pseudocyphellaria Vain. 4. Sticta (Schreb.) Ach.
Massalongiaceae	1. Polychidium (Ach.) Gray
Megalariaceae	1. Megalaria Hafellner
Megalosporaceae	1. Byssophragmia M. Choisy 2. Megaloblastenia Sipman 3. Megalospora Meyen
Megasporaceae	1. Aspicilia A. Massal. 2. Lobothallia (Clauzade & Cl. Roux) Hafellner
Melaspileaceae	1. Melaspilea Nyl.

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Family	Genera
Monoblastiaceae	1. Anisomeridium (Müll. Arg.) M. Choisy 2. Monoblastia Riddle
Mycoblastaceae	1. Mycoblastus Norman
Mycoporaceae	1. Mycoporum Körb.
Naetrocymbaceae	1. Naetrocymbe Körb. 2. ? Leptorhaphis Körb.
Nephromataceae	1. Nephroma Ach.
Ochrolechiaceae	1. Ochrolechia A. Massal.
Pannariaceae	1. Erioderma Fée 2. Fuscopannaria P.M. Jørg. 3. Kroswia P.M. Jørg. 4. Leioderma Fée 5. Pannaria Del. 6. Parmeliella Müll. Arg. 7. Vahliella P.M. Jørg.
Parmeliaceae	1. Alectoria Ach. 2. Allocetraria Kurok. & M.J. Lai 3. Anzia Stizenb. 4. Arctoparmelia Hale 5. Bryoria Brodo & D. Hawksw. 6. Bulbothrix Hale 7. Canoparmelia Elix & Hale 8. Cetraria Ach. 9. Cetrelia W.L. Culb. & C.F. Culb 10. Cetreliopsis M.J. Lai 11. Evernia Ach. 12. Everniastrum Hale ex Sipman 13. Flavocetraria Kärnefelt & A. Thell 14. Flavocetrariella D.D. Awasthi 15. Flavoparmelia Hale

Family

Genera

Parmeliaceae (Contd…)

16. Flavopunctelia (Krog) Hale

17. Hypogymnia (Nyl.) Nyl.

18. Hypotrachyna (Vain.) Hale

19. Lethariella (Motyka) Krog

20. Melanelia Essl.

21. Melanelixia O. Blanco & al.

22. Melanohalea O. Blanco & al.

23. Menegazzia A. Massal.

24. Myelochroa (Asahina) Elix

25. Nephromopsis Müll. Arg.

26. Oropogon Th. Fr.

27. Parmelaria D.D. Awasthi

28. Parmelia Ach.

29. Parmelina Hale

30. Parmelinella Elix & Hale

31. Parmelinopsis Elix & Hale

32. Parmeliopsis (Nyl.) Nyl.

33. Parmotrema A. Massal.

34. Platismatia W.L. Culb. & C.F. Culb.

35. Pleurosticta Petr.

36. Protoparmelia M. Choisy

37. Punctelia Krog

38. Relicina (Hale & Kurok.) Hale

39. Relicinopsis Elix & Verdon

40. Sulcaria Bystrek

41. Tuckermannopsis Gyeln.

42. Tuckneraria Randlane & A. Thell

43. Usnea Dill. ex Adans.

44. Vulpicida Mattson & M.J. Lai

45. Xanthoparmelia (Vain.) Hale

Family	Genera
Peltigeraceae	1. Peltigera Willd. 2. Solorina Ach.
Peltulaceae	1. Peltula Nyl.
Pertusariaceae	1. Pertusaria DC.
Phlyctidaceae	1. Phlyctis (Wallr.) Flot.
Phyllobatheliaceae	1. Phyllobathelium (Müll. Arg.) Müll. Arg.
Physciaceae	1. Anaptychia Körb. 2. Heterodermia Trevis. em. Poelt 3. Hyperphyscia Müll. Arg. 4. Phaeophyscia Moberg 5. Physcia (Schreb.) Mich. 6. Physconia Poelt 7. Rinodina (Ach.) Gray
Pilocarpaceae	1. Bapalmuia Sérus. 2. Byssolecania Vain. 3. Byssoloma Trevis. 4. Fellhanera Vìzda 5. Micarea Fr.
Placynthiaceae	1. Placynthium (Ach.) Gray
Porinaceae	1. Porina Ach. 2. Trichothelium Müll. Arg.
Porpidiaceae	1. Porpidia Körb.
Psoraceae	1. Lecidoma Goth. Schneid. & Hertel 2. Protoblastenia (Zahlbr.) J. Steiner 3. Psora Hoffm.
Pyrenulaceae	1. Anthracothecium Hampe ex A. Massal. 2. Lithothelium Müll. Arg. 3. Pyrenula Ach. 4. Pyrgillus Nyl.

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Family	Genera
Ramalinaceae	1. Bacidia De Not. 2. Bacidina Vìzda 3. Bacidiospora Kalb 4. Biatora Fr. 5. Catinaria Vain. 6. Frutidella Kalb 7. Lopezaria Kalb & Hafellner 8. Phyllopsora Müll. Arg. 9. Physcidia Tuck. 10. Psorella Müll. Arg. 11. Ramalina Ach. 12. Rolfidium Moberg 13. Schadonia Körb.
Rhizocarpaceae	1. Rhizocarpon Ramond ex DC.
Roccellaceae	1. Bactrospora A. Massal. 2. Chiodecton Ach. 3. Cresponea Egea & Torrente 4. Dichosporidium Pat. 5. Enterodictyon Müll. Arg. 6. Enterographa Fée 7. Erythrodecton G. Thor 8. Graphidastra (Redinger) G. Thor 9. Lecanactis Körb. 10. Lecanographa Egea & Torrente 11. Mazosia A. Massal. 12. Minksia Müll. Arg. 13. Opegrapha Ach. 14. Pulvinodecton Henssen & G. Thor 15. Roccella DC. 16. Schismatomma Flot. & Körb. ex A. Massal.

Family	Genera
Roccellaceae (Contd…)	17. Sclerophyton Eschw. 18. Sigridea Tehler
Schaereriaceae	1. Schaereria Körb.
Sphaerophoraceae	1. Bunodophoron A. Massal.
Sphinctrinaceae	1. Pyrgidium Nyl. 2. Sphinctrina Fr.
Stereocaulaceae	1. Lepraria Ach. 2. Squamarina Poelt 3. Stereocaulon (Schreb.) Hoffm.
Stictidaceae	1. Conotrema Tuck.
Strigulaceae	1. ? Phylloblastia Vain. 2. Strigula Fr.
Teloschistaceae	1. Caloplaca Th. Fr. 2. Ioplaca Poelt 3. Teloschistes Norman 4. Xanthoria (Fr.) Th. Fr.
Tephromelataceae	1. Heppsora D.D. Awasthi & Kr. P. Singh 2. Tephromela M. Choisy
Thelenellaceae	1. Julella Fabre 2. Thelenella Nyl.
Thelocarpaceae	1. Thelocarpon Nyl.
Thelotremataceae	1. Chapsa A. Massal. 2. Chroodiscus (Müll. Arg.) Müll. Arg. 3. Diploschistes Norman 4. Leptotrema Mont. & Bosch 5. Leucodecton A. Massal. 6. Melanotrema A. Frisch 7. Myriotrema Fée 8. Nadvornikia Tibell 9. Ocellularia G. Mey.

Family	Genera
Thelotremataceae (Contd…)	10. Reimnitzia Kalb 11. Stegobolus Mont. 12. Thelotrema Ach. 13. Topeliopsis Kantvilas & Vězda
Trapeliaceae	1. Placopsis Nyl. 2. Placynthiella Elenkin 3. Trapelia M. Choisy
Trypetheliaceae	1. Astrothelium Eschw. 2. Bathelium Trevis. 3. Campylothelium Müll. Arg. 4. Laurera Rchb. 5. Megalotremis Aptroot 6. Polymeridium (Müll. Arg.) R.C. Harris 7. Pseudopyrenula Müll. Arg. 8. Trypethelium Spreng.
Umbilicariaceae	1. Lasallia Mérat 2. Umbilicaria Hoffm.
Verrucariaceae	1. Awasthiella Kr. P. Singh 2. Catapyrenium Flot. 3. Dermatocarpon Eschw. 4. Endocarpon Hedw. 5. Normandina Nyl. 6. Placidium A. Massal. 7. Staurothele Norman 8. Thelidiopsis Vain. 9. Verrucaria Schrad.

Genera with unsettled family status under Order

Order	Genera
Arthoniales	1. Arthothelium A. Massal.
Lecanorales	1. Botryolepraria Canals & al. 2. Heterocyphelium Vain. 3. Lecania A. Massal. 4. Leprocaulon Nyl. ex Lamy 5. Mycobilimbia Rehm 6. Psilolechia A. Massal. 7. Tylophoron Nyl. ex Stizenb.
Ostropales	1. Thelopsis Nyl.

Source: K.P. Singh & G.P. Sinha. 2010. Indian Lichens: An annotated checklist. Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.

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