Abstract The new species Sticta viviana A. Suárez & Lücking is described from Colombian paramos. It superficially resembles S. fuliginosa s. str. but differs by the small lobes with a shiny surface, the strongly branched, corymbose isidia, the dark lower tomentum, the smaller, usually sessile and urceolate cyphellae with one papilla-like outgrowth per cell of the basal membrane, and the K+ orange-yellow medulla. In contrast, Sticta fuliginosa s. str., as represented by the type material, a sequenced topotype, and specimens from North America and Colombia falling into the same clade, is defined by an uneven lobe surface, simple to branched but not corymbose isidia, a pale lower tomentum, larger, immersed to erumpent cyphellae, with each cell of the basal membrane having 2–4 papillae, and a K− medulla. The new species is not closely related to S. fuliginosa s. str. but falls within a clade of several, as yet undescribed, species with S. fuliginosa gross morphology.