William Nylander's collected lichenological papers 3

Edited and prefaced by Teuvo Ahti, Professor of Cryptogamic Botany at the University of Helsinki, this work explores the contributions of William Nylander (1822-1899), a prominent lichenologist. Nylander began his career in Finland but conducted much of his research in Paris, establishing himself as a leading taxonomist who described numerous taxa worldwide, many of which remain in use today. He published lichen floras for regions including Scandinavia, Algeria, Japan, and New Zealand, and initiated a world lichen flora, Synopsis Lichenum, which was never completed. Nylander was a pioneer in integrating chemical reagents into lichen taxonomy, advocating for the identification of species based on their chemical composition—an approach that continues to spark debate among lichenologists. He also recognized the adverse effects of urban air pollution on lichens, laying the groundwork for future studies on this relationship. The biography by Prof. Ahti in the introduction details Nylander's extensive work, which includes over 300 papers, many of which are underrepresented in botanical libraries. This collection, spanning more than 4000 pages, makes Nylander's original papers accessible, providing invaluable resources for taxonomists who need to reference his work and herbarium in Helsinki. Many species and records by Nylander remain unverified by contemporary lichenologists.