Lichens of the Ozarks

Well known as a biologically unique region in North America, the Ozarks were long neglected from a lichenological standpoint. Systematic surveys and collecting work were initiated in the Missouri portion of the Ozarks in the early1980’s, and with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) were subsequently expanded to encompass the entire Ozark ecoregion, including small portions of Kansas and Illinois, and significant portions of Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. These efforts have revealed a surprisingly rich diversity of lichens in the region, including a significant number of taxa new to science. We have established this website to provide an online resource through which to communicate the results of our research.