THE LICHEN VEGETATION OF SOME PREVIOUSLY OVERLOOKED HIGH-LEVEL HABITATS IN NORTH WALES

The lichen vegetation associated with calcareous rocks, areas of long snow-lie and the margins of high-level lakes in North Wales is describ ed. It includes Porpidia ochrolemma (Vain.) Brodo & R. Sant. and Rhizo carpon anaperum (Vain.) Vain. new to the British Isles, plus a further 30 taxa recorded for the first time from Wales. The relative importan ce of the montane lichen vegetation of North Wales is assessed by comp arison with areas in other parts of the British Isles. It is shown to exceed in interest any montane area in England or Ireland but to be be low the standard of an otherwise comparable area in Scotland. (C) 1996 The British Lichen Society