The Cetraria commixta group, including four species, is transferred to Melanelia Essl., and the following new combinations are made: Melanelia agnata (Nyl.) Thell comb. nov., Melanelia commixta (Nyl.) Thell comb. nov., Melanelia culbersonii (Hale) Thell comb. nov. and Melanelia hepatizon (Ach.) Thell comb. nov. These new combinations in Melanelia could be supported by similarities in the reproductive structures and other anatomical characters. Typical Melanelia-asci with a small tholus and a large, broad axial body, dumbbell shaped pycnoconidia and a thick, paraplectenchymatous upper cortex put these species together with the brown parmelioid genera. In addition, the species group concerned shows morphologically and chemically similarities particularly to Melanelia stygia, the type species of Melanelia. A nomenclatural problem related to the name M. commixta is discussed in detail.