142 Froceedinrjs of the Boy a I Sociefy of Victoria. 



2. The apotliecium, or reproductive oi-gan, coDsists of 

 (1) an exci]}ulum , either pale or dark, on whicli lies (2) the 

 hyjjothechim, also either dark or coloiu-less. From the 

 surface of the latter rises (3) the thechnrt or Itymenium, 

 which contains tlteccv, generally sniroiinded by 'jniva/physes 

 or club-shaped filaments, all which are usually' glued 

 togethei- by the (/elathut liymenia. The surface jormed by 

 the conglutinated apices of the paraphyses is termed the 

 epitlieciwni or disk. The hypothecium of nucleated apothecia 

 is styled a i^evithecmnt. 



The various forms of apothecia are («) leco/norhie, i.e., 

 orbicular and bordei-ed by a tli; Uine margin ; (h) lecideine, 

 i.e., orbicular with no thalline margin, but often bordered 

 l)y the edge of the excipulum or hypothecium, which is 

 called a proper margin, i.e., a margin propei- to the apothe- 

 cium ; (c) graphicline, i.e., like writing, iiTegular in form, 

 l)ut typically naiTow and horizontally lengthened ; and {d) 

 pyo'etwdiiw, i.e., globular and nucleated. 



The theca? contain spores, usually 8, but sometimes 1, or 

 2, or 4, or (3, or sometimes innumerable. The spores vary 

 much in size and form and colour and contents. Home are 

 divided into two or man}^ cells, and some are simple. The 

 outer and inner walls are called the e^yispjore and evdospore. 



8. The spermagones are small thalline tubercles, containing 

 a colourless receptacle, within which there arise minute 

 filaments, eithei- simple, when they are termed sferigmata, 

 or articulate, when they are termed arthrosteri(/viata. 

 These filaments carry upon their apices very minute bodies, 

 called spermatio, which are of various shapes, but generally 

 (ylind)-ical, and which are readily separable and pressed 

 foi'th in great numbeis through a pore in the a[)ex of the 

 spermagone. The spermatia are supposed to fertilise the 

 apothecia, but their function is not known. 



There are also other bodies occasionally found on the 

 thallus. Pycvidei< are small organs of a dark colour, 

 (■oniaining filaments called hasidia, which bear, singly at 

 their summits, minute, generally oblong, bodies, called 

 dylospores. These are by many authors supposed to be a 

 sort of secondaiy fructification, and by others affirmed to be 

 minute fungi. Cyp)heJla; are minute excavations in the 

 under surface of certain lichens. Their function is unknown. 

 When the}' are ap])arently filled with white or yellow 

 powder, they are called ph<e;vdoryp)hella'. CepliaJodia are 

 tubercles of various shapes, which are found on many species. 



