Since 1966, immobilization of lichen cells or enzymes in inert, hydrophilic matrices by adsorption or entrapment is the usual method to improve the production of lichen metabolites without biomass destruction. Alginate and polyacrylamide are used for cell entrapment, whereas bioskin, clays or polyhydroxyurethane have been largely preferred as matrices for immobilization by adsorp tion. Entrapped or adsorbed cells can be used to induce a particular metabolic transformation, i.e., lecanoric acid into … Read more... 

The genus Usnea is taxonomically revised, resulting in 43 species for Japan and Taiwan. It consists of three subgenera, Usnea, Eumitria (Stirt.) Zahlbr. and Dolichousnea Y. Ohmura, and two sections in the subgenus Usnea, Usnea and Ceratinae (Motyka) Y. Ohmura. Among the species listed in the present study, U. dendritica Stirt., U. hesperina Motyka, U. nidifica Taylor, U. sinensis Motyka and U. trichodeoides Vain, are reported as new to Japan and Taiwan. Usnea pygmoidea, formerly placed under the … Read more... 

South America with half of all the known species represents most probably the primary diversity centre of the ascolocular lichen family Roccellaceae (Arthoniales). Nevertheless, neither a modem identification key nor a topical survey are available for the biologically, ecologically and phy- logenetically interesting taxa occurring on the mainland and (or) the adjacent islands. A computer- aided, dichotomous key has therefore been prepared, based as far as possible on easily detectable characters. … Read more... 

Numerous collections representing 183 species of lichens, ascomycetes and licheni- colous fungi are reported from gatherings made in Hong Kong in July 2000, mainly on Lantau Island. These include 9 species which are described here as new to science: the lichenized ascomycetes Ani- someridium tetrasporum, Biatorella saxicola, Ocellularia palaeoamplior, Ramalina seawardii, Ra- malina throwerae, the non-lichenized corticolous ascomycete Granulopyrenis seawardii, the licheni- colous ascomycete Obryzam … Read more... 

Ascospore germination and hyphal growth of the following lichen genera were tested in various concentrations of NaCl: Arthonia, Buellia, Caloplaca, Cladonia, Graphis, Lecanora, Mye- lochroa, Ochrolechia, Parmelia, Porpidia, Ramalina, Stereocaulon and Usnea. At high NaCl concen trations spore germination and hyphal growth were inhibited, and the shape of the hyphae was twisted and gnarled; their tips were more swollen, and the biomass of hyphae much reduced. No spores of the tested species germinated … Read more...