Volume 55 contains an account of the largest family of lichens in Australia, the Parmeliaceae. This family, familiar to most people as the common grey or brown to yellowish green foliose lichens of rocks, soil and bark, has about 60 genera and 1000 species worldwide. Thirty-one genera and 395 species are recorded from Australia. The book has keys for identification of genera and species. Each species is fully described, with bibliographic information, a full Australian synonymy, notes on habitat and distribution, and a summary of its chemistry. A distribution map is provided for each taxon and many species are illustrated in colour. An innovation in this volume is the inclusion of a synoptic key to the genera. This volume provides an excellent modern account of a difficult family