THE LICHENS OF SOUTH LANCASHIRE, 87 
The Lichens of South Lancashire. 
By J. A. WHELDON, F.L.S., and W. G. Travis. 
(Read 18th March, 1915.] 
CONTENTS, 
Page | Page 
I, Introduction .................. 87 | IV. Resumé of Earlier Published 
II. Adverse Conditions affecting the Work .................,,... 10: 
Lichen-Flora ................ 88 
III. Present State ofthe Lichen-Flora: 91 | V. Systematic List ................ 104 
A. Condition of the various 
classes of Lichens...... 92 | VI. List of Publications, MSS., and 
B. Condition of the Lichen- Herbaria quoted.............. 184 
Flora in various Districts. 95 
I. INTRODUCTION. 
SOUTH LANCASHIRE (Watson’s (23) vice-county 59) comprises all that part 
of Lancashire which lies south of the River Ribble. Its area is about 
1130 sq. miles. The vice-county presents considerable diversity in its 
physical features. The eastern and central portion is a hilly country 
which forms one of the western buttresses of the Pennine Range. In 
the valleys among the hills lie many of the cotton-manufacturing towns 
for whieh the county is famous, while high above them on the broad 
hill-tops are bleak, wet moorlands, frequently covered by cotton-grass 
(Eriophorum spp.), which flourishes on the deep peaty soil. The highest 
point in South Lancashire is Pendle Hill, 1831 ft., situated in the extreme 
N.E. corner of the area; the next highest is Boulsworth Hill (1700 ft.) 
on the Pennine watershed; and there are several other points on the 
moorland plateaux which lie 1500 ft. above sea-level. The low-lying 
coastal plain, which extends from the mouth of the River Ribble far up 
the Mersey valley, consists mainly of arable land; but here and there are 
the remains of peat-mosses, which were formerly of great extent but are 
now mostly reclaimed. 
The soils and rocks are mainly siliceous in character ; but in that portion 
of the Ribble valley which comes within our area there is a tract, a few 
square miles in extent, of Carboniferous Limestone. On the northern flanks 
of Pendle Hill there is also a series of impure limestones and calcareous 
mudstones, known geologically as the Pendleside Series. Igneous or 
metamorphic rocks do not exist in situ in South Lancashire. 
