The 38 species of Parmelia Acharius sensu stricto are revised at the world level. The genus is characterized by punctate or effigurate pseudocyphellae, a black lower surface with simple, furcate or squarrose rhizines, simple hyaline spores, and cylindrical to weakly bifusiform conidia. The most frequent secondary metabolites are salazinic acid and protocetraric acid. Parmelia is an extremely conservative genus, most common in temperate-boreal and austral regions, with a low level of vegetative morph formation and speciation. The greatest concentrations of species are found in Japan and New Zealand. Seven new species are described: P. neodiscordans Hale, P. norcrambidiocarpa Hale, P. novae-zelandiae Hale, P. queenslandensis Hale, P. salcrambidiocarpa Hale, P. skultii Hale, and P. subtestacea Hale.