National Herbarium (Lichens), National Biodiversity Centre (THIM-lich)
This Bhutanese lichen collection represents a diverse assemblage of 40 specimens spanning seven families characteristic of the country’s cool temperate and montane forests. The collection is dominated by members of the Parmeliaceae (16 specimens) and Cladoniaceae (14 specimens), two families well known for their ecological importance in high-elevation habitats. Additional taxa include Physciaceae (3), Usneaceae (2), Lobariaceae (2), Collemataceae (2), and Pannariaceae (1), reflecting a mixture of fruticose, foliose, and gelatinous lichen forms. Together, these families provide a representative snapshot of Bhutan’s lichen biodiversity across moist broadleaf forests, cloud forests, and subalpine zones, highlighting the country’s rich biogeographic gradients and the value of continued lichenological exploration in the Eastern Himalayas.
There are approximately 287 lichens and lichenicolous fungi known from Bhutan. Bhutan harbors an exceptionally rich and understudied lichen biota owing to its dramatic elevational gradients, intact forest ecosystems, and position within the biodiverse Eastern Himalayas. Surveys have shown that Bhutan supports a high diversity of macrolichens—particularly Parmeliaceae, Cladoniaceae, Lobariaceae, and Pannariaceae—which thrive across moist temperate broadleaf forests, cool cloud forests, and subalpine zones (Awasthi 2007; Singh & Sinha 2010). Recent checklists and regional studies indicate that many Himalayan lichen lineages extend into Bhutan, while several species may represent range extensions or potentially undescribed taxa due to the country’s complex microclimates and limited historical collection effort (Orange 2013; Lumbsch et al. 2011). Macrolichens such as Usnea, Cladonia, Evernia, and Lobaria are particularly abundant in old-growth forests, where they contribute significantly to nutrient cycling, water retention, and microhabitat structure.
There are approximately 287 lichens and lichenicolous fungi known from Bhutan. Bhutan harbors an exceptionally rich and understudied lichen biota owing to its dramatic elevational gradients, intact forest ecosystems, and position within the biodiverse Eastern Himalayas. Surveys have shown that Bhutan supports a high diversity of macrolichens—particularly Parmeliaceae, Cladoniaceae, Lobariaceae, and Pannariaceae—which thrive across moist temperate broadleaf forests, cool cloud forests, and subalpine zones (Awasthi 2007; Singh & Sinha 2010). Recent checklists and regional studies indicate that many Himalayan lichen lineages extend into Bhutan, while several species may represent range extensions or potentially undescribed taxa due to the country’s complex microclimates and limited historical collection effort (Orange 2013; Lumbsch et al. 2011). Macrolichens such as Usnea, Cladonia, Evernia, and Lobaria are particularly abundant in old-growth forests, where they contribute significantly to nutrient cycling, water retention, and microhabitat structure.
Contact: Data Curator: Michael Thomas (michaelbthomas@gmail.com)
Collection Type: Preserved Specimens
Management: Live Data managed directly within data portal
Global Unique Identifier: ee73b6b5-fd6c-45e3-bc16-128c12fffc3d
Usage Rights: CC BY-NC (Attribution-Non-Commercial)
Rights Holder: Royal Government of Bhutan
Access Rights: http://biodiversity.bt/bbp/datasharing
Address:
National Biodiversity Centre
National Herbarium
Post Box 875
Serbithang, Thimphu
Bhutan
Collection Statistics:
- 40 specimen records
- 40 (100%) georeferenced
- 40 (100%) identified to species
- 7 families
- 13 genera
- 40 species
- 40 total taxa (including subsp. and var.)