Abstract
Column and thin-layer chromatography were used to study the occurrence of various carotenoids in 17 lichen, species collected in the Upper Tracja Valley in Bulgaria. The following carotenoids were found: lycoxanthin, lycophyll, α-, β-carotene, rubixanthin, α-, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lutein epoxide, β-carotene epoxide, zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, canthaxanthin, adonixanthin, α-doradexanthin, phoenicoxanthin, mutatochrome, mutato-xanthin, diatoxanthin and neoxanthin. The total carotenoid contents ranged from 5.737 (Peltigera horizontalis) to 63.659 µg g-1 dry weight (Xanthoria perietina).