The water relations of the desert lichen Xanthomaculina hottentotta were investigated using thermocouple psychrometry. Although the water relations of X. hottentotta were similar to those of other lichens from xeric habitats, X. hottentotta lost less K⁺ following sudden re-wetting, contained less intercellular water and had a higher ψ_πs than these lichens. The implications of these findings for the water relations of X. hottentotta are discussed. Keywords: Lichen, desiccation, thermocouple psychrometry, Namib desert.