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The effects of ground lichens on seed germination were studied in rosemary scrub on the Lake Wales Ridge in south-central Florida. Lichen removal and seed addition experiments were established within gaps in scrub patches unburned for more than 30 years. Vegetation in these gaps was dominated by ground lichens and vegetatively propagated Licania michauxii and Selaginella arenicola. All ground lichens were removed from one of each of 21 paired plots in 1995 and 1998. Seeds of four short-lived perennial herbs were added to 9 randomly selected plot pairs in 1998. Plots were monitored for seedling and clonal recruitment and death, as well as feral pig damage from 1995-2000. Occasional feral pig disturbance temporarily decreased lichen cover. Our study confirms that seedling recruitment is naturally low in these long-unburned, lichen-covered sites. Seedling emergence was higher, however, in lichen removal plots throughout the experiment, but only significantly so before seed addition. Low recruitment after seed addition was not limited by the availability of seeds and was probably caused by drought. Lichen cover evidently suppresses recruitment in years favorable for recruitment, but variation in precipitation has an overriding effect. Fire suppression leads to increased lichen cover and reduced recruitment of herbs over long periods of time, but remnant larger gaps retain microsites that support recruitment.