The anatomy and chemistry of Lecanora vacillans H. Magn. has been studied. This saxicolous species combines key characters of both the L. subfusca and L. subcarnea groups and indicates that the representative groups should not be segregated at generic level. More particularly L. vacillans resembles the L. subfusca group in its apothecial anatomy but contains chemical substances typical of the L. subcamea group, whereas the morphology is reminiscent of both groups. Lecanora vacillans f. infuscate is reduced to synonymy with L. vacillans.