Lichens are symbiotic organisms found in a variety of habitats; however, in urban areas the lichen community can be altered due to the influence of anthropogenic factors. This study aimed to analyze the corticolous lichen community composition in Porto Alegre and adjacent areas, as well as to investigate the frequency, coverage and importance value of the reported taxa. A key to the urban species is also provided. Three hundred phorophytes distributed in 30 sampling stations, divided among 33 city districts, were analyzed. One hundred and forty-four taxa of lichenized fungi were recorded with three probable new citations for Brazil and two new records for Rio Grande do Sul State. The most important species in the community were Canoparmelia texana (Tuck.) Elix & Hale and Dirinaria picta (Sw.) Schaer. ex Clem, which showed the highest values of importance, frequency and coverage. The high number of taxa found in the studied areas represents a significant contribution to lichenological research, mainly for use in air quality monitoring programs and to evaluate forest ecosystem structure.
species composition; identification key; lichenized fungi; phytosociology
