This study investigates the phylogeny and symbiotic relationships of the foliose lichen genus Remototrachyna, R. crenata and R. rhabdiformis from the Western Ghats through morphological, chemical and molecular phylogenetic tools using concatenated ITS and LSU data analyses. The study further identified the photobiont Trebouxia species in R. crenata and R. rhabdiformis based on ITS sequence data and phylogeny. The Trebouxia species of R. crenata and R. rhabdiformis were delineated as a major clade closely related to Trebouxia sp. voucher SF31 sequenced from Usnea ghattensis belonging to Trebouxia Clade I. This study represents a pioneering effort to unravel the enigmatic lichen symbiosis that exists in the genus Remototrachyna from the Western Ghats of India.

A new species of Solenopsora (Lichenized fungi), S. rhizomorpha from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India, is described and illustrated, along with its distribution map. The species is characterized by small foliose-type thallus covered with white pruina, presence of rhizines, and lacking secondary metabolites. In addition, the genus Solenopsora is recorded in India for the first time.

A new species of Parmotrema with characteristic yellow medulla is described as new to science. The new species P. sahyadrica has a densely isidiate thallus with 6-10 mm wide lobes and contains entothein and atranorin as major compounds. The material was collected from Wayanad district of Kerala state at an elevation of 750 m.

An extensive survey of lichens was conducted in different parts of Mathikettan Shola National Park, and analysed 55 macrolichen species under six families. Two species were found to be new to the Indian peninsula, and five species were new to the lichen flora of Kerala.

Flavopunctelia and Punctelia species collected from Pir Panjal Ranges of Himachal Pradesh, India were studied by morphological, chemical, and phylogenetic methods. Analyses based on a concatenated ITS and LSU data set, confirmed the position of the three Indian taxa within the Parmotrema -clade in Parmeliaceae . The morphology-based taxonomic study reiterated the presence of cryptic species in Flavopunctelia with highly similar morphological characters in different species. The type species, F. flaventior, formed a well-supported monophyletic clade adjacent to F. soredica . In Punctelia , P. borreri was also established as a unique lineage along with P. perreticulata . RPB1 data were not interpreted due to data deficiency. The ITS sequence data and analyses showed Trebouxia photobionts in all the parmelioid species; that of P. borreri was identified as T. gelatinosa , but the photobionts of F. flaventior formed an exclusive clade of an apparently undescribed species of Trebouxia , and the photobiont of F. soredica formed an unresolved basal clade to the Trebouxia sp. of F. flaventior .

Lichens are a group of lower plants that adapt to extreme environmental conditions. The utility of lichens is due to the wide range of secondary metabolites produced by them. The present study is to analyse the dye yielding potential and antibacterial properties of lichen species Heterodermia boryi, Hypotrachyna cirrhata, and Cladonia fruticulosa collected from different parts of Kerala. Dyes were extracted using methods such as Ammonia fermentation method (AFM), Di-methyl sulphoxide extraction method (DEM) and the boiling water method (BWM). The dye extracts were experimented on mulberry silk and banana fibre. The fibre stability was tested by exposure to sunlight and action with detergent and shampoo. Most of the dyed colours appeared to be stable. The colours were detected using COSMIN software. The colours that appeared were mainly shades of brown, khaki, tan and gold. AFM and DEM are better extraction methods than BWM. To investigate the antibacterial activity, methanol, ethanol, acetone, chloroform and distilled water extracts of lichens were tested against Gram-positive and negative bacteria along with positive control. Chloroform and acetone extracts showed exceptional inhibition activity followed by methanol and ethanol and the least activity by distilled water extracts. Extracts of H. cirrhata and C. fruticulosa showed better antibacterial activity than H. boryi. These results indicate the presence of different secondary metabolites.

Macro lichens of Kalpetta Municipality of Wayanad District of Kerala state were studied. The study revealed about 21 macro lichen species. All the species identified are either foliose or fruticose forms belonging to families Coccocarpiaceae, Caliciaceae, Physciaceae, Parmeliaceae, Collemataceae, Lobariaceae, and Ramalinaceae indicating the dominance of these groups in the study area.

Usnea ghattensis is an endemic fruticose lichen species of northern Western Ghats, India.With the changing climate, pollution, land use management and growing population in these terrains, the diversity of endemic lichens of these pristine habitats are under threat.This study attempts to unravel the symbiotic association of flagship fruticose lichen species, Usnea ghattensis and their photobiont Trebouxia.Based on combined ITS and LSU data, β tubulin data, morphology and chemical evidence, Usnea ghattensis is placed in the Usnea clades 3 and 4, representing Asian Usnea species.The RPB1 data and analyses were also in congruence to that of β tubulin, however the phylogeny is not interpreted due to data deficiency.The ITS sequence data and phylogeny of photobiont of U. ghattensis were also established as an undescribed Trebouxia species belonging to Clade I within the genus Trebouxia.This is the first holistic attempt to study the lichen symbiosis of Usnea ghattensis from the Western Ghats of India.