Based on collections gathered between 1886 and 1994, we present a survey of the foliicolous lichen flora of New Caledonia. A total of 107 species in 37 genera and 18 families are reported, increasing the number of foliicolous taxa known for this territory from 22 to 111, and that of New Caledonian lichens in general to 697. Arthonia novaecaledoniae Lucking & Kalb sp. nov., Badimia elixii Lucking, Kalb & Lumbsch sp. nov., Coenogonium labyrinthicum Lucking & Kalb sp. nov, and Fellhanera mackeei Lucking & Hürlimann sp. nov. are described. We further propose the following combinations: Coenogonium subzonatum (Lucking) Lucking & Kalb comb. nov. [Basionym: Dimerella subzonata Lucking] and Coenogonium usambarense (Vêzda & Farkas) LUcking & Kalb comb. nov. [Basionym: Dimerella usambarense Vêzda & Farkas]. Phyllobathelium firmum (= P. epiphyllum) is recorded for the first time outside America, while Asterothyrium leucophthalmum, Byssoloma confusum, Coenogonium usambarense, Fellhanera submicrommata, Strigula schizospora and Tapellaria epiphylla aie new for Australasia. Arthonia lividofusca (= A. aciniformis) and Aclinoplaca vulgaris (= Gyalideopsis vulgaris) are excluded from the New Caledonian lichen flora. Apart from Cocos I., New Caledonia is the only Pacific island with a well-known foliicolous lichen flora, and there are remarkable similarities between both territories. However, after correction for pantropical taxa, the proportions of distribution types clearly reflect the different geographical and historical parameters of both islands and place them within their corresponding biota in Australasia and America, respectively. A world-wide analysis of foliicolous lichens demonstrates that, although many taxa have no biogeographical information content, others are discriminative at different scales. This applies especially to the genus Badimia, previously demonstrated to be a suitable indicator of undisturbed tropical rainforest vegetation. Here it is also shown to be a good indicator of small-scale biogeographical affinities.