Seychelles Lichen Guide. 2010. 350 col. pls. 404 p. gr8vo. Paper bd.

This book offers an introduction to tropical lichens. The title is modestly referring to the Seychelles only, but in fact also species from La Reunion, Philippines, Cambodia and Thailand have been illustrated and dealt with for the first time.

This book treats virtually all lichen genera and species known to date from the Seychelles. In order to make the book useful outside the area as well, not only the Seychelles species are treated, but generally also some additional ones. Many coastal lowland lichens are rather widespread, and the book thus contains a large set of species that can be found elsewhere in the tropics. Not surprisingly, the book becomes less useful when further away from the Seychelles, but still has some use in Asia and even in the neotropics.

When at a larger distance from the Seychelles, it is in general more likely to be useful for crustose species than for foliose and fruticose species; already the Cladonia and Parmeliaceae flora of Madagascar contains many species not even mentioned here.

Not all genera and species are illustrated, but those that are have been illustrated in full detail. No keys to the genera are included, as they rarely lead to succesful identifications. The best way to identify a species is to compare illustrations and read the genus entry, which will generally give the differences with similar genera, also those not known from the Seychelles.