LICHEN ISLANDIGUS. 737 



%haUoq^nB. 



LICHENES. 



LICHEN ISLANDICUS. 



Iceland Moss ; F. Lichen on Mousse d'hlande ; G. Isldndisches Moos. 



Botanical Origin— Cetraria islandica Acharius.i— It is abundant 

 mhigli northern latitudes, as Greenland, Spitzbergen, biberia bcanai- 

 navia and Iceland, wlsere it grows even in the plains It is loima 

 the mountainous parts of Great Britain, France, Italy, and JP'°. ;« 

 Switzerland (in elevations of nearly 10,000 feet), and in the ^outhem 

 Danubian countries. It also occurs in North America and m tne 



Antarctic regions. 



.otic regions. j 



History-In the North of Europe, this lichen has long been usea 

 "nder the general name of Mosi, Mossa or Miis,\tis an aitK 



It is the Muscus crispcB Lactuco' simMs ofjal'^""^^^^; called it 

 also mentioned by Ole Borrich, of Copcnbagen 1 W i^, .^ ^^^^^^^^ 

 Muscus catharticus, under the notion that in eariy spri ^^^J ^^^ ^f 

 purgative properties." The pharmaceutical tantt oi ' . , ^. „ . its 



the year {672, likewise quotes Muscus ^f ^"^rfa^nSly spo^e" 

 medicinal employment in pulmonary disorders^ was m^^^^ ^^^i .^^^ 



of by Hjarne in 1683," but it is only since l/o/ *"7, , ■ of Linnsus 

 general use as a medicine, chiefly on the recommendation 



^""^ ^'^"P^l^- ■ . _„,,. ..ln,.eous. branching 



-J wmuioii, appear ai wie c^jivv.. .^- rusty colour. ^"- 



bodies, ^^^ to tV of an inch across, of a daik, rasiy 



^ Ce/raW(( from ccira, an ancient shield of •.,1778)8.56. , „„M*a at cage 



h'ff, m allusion to the circular apothecia. "^^^^liger, Docum"n>^, quoted at pag 



«C: etc! ''-'-'• *"'^ ""''''" i%^:t exhaustive account and figures 

 AppSs stirpium, quoted in the J ^^^Sen (quoted at p. - W) p. 1 - 0. 



