Lecanoroid morphological features have evolved repeatedly in different lineages of Lecanoromycetes. This resulted in the delineation of a polyphyletic genus, Lecanora, which is widely distributed but has been understudied in less accessible parts of the world. Our research focuses on poorly explored neotropical lecanoroid taxa (Lecanora s.l.) with an emphasis on biodiverse areas of Bolivia. We aim to provide a taxonomic treatment of Bolivian species of Lecanora s.l. and enhance our phylogenetic understanding of this genus. The study is based on material collected during multiple expeditions to tropical areas of Bolivia and deposited at LPB and KRAM herbaria. Over 550 specimens were examined morphologically and chemically, including approximately 60 morphotypes and representing various groups of traditionally circumscribed Lecanora s.l. (e.g. Lecanora s.str., L. caesiorubella group, L. rupicola group, L. polytropa group, L. saligna group, L. varia group, and the genera Myriolecis, Protoparmeliopsis, and Rhizoplaca). Additionally, we present phenotypic characteristics of Bolivian Lecanora s.str. in the context of an nrITS and mtSSU-based phylogeny. Preliminary integrative results, revealed that some specimens might represent undescribed taxa. This research has received funding from the National Science Centre, Poland (project no. 2016/21/B/NZ8/02463).
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