Lichens of Santa Cruz Peninsula 333 



apothecia abundant, marginal or sub-terminal ; color, yellowish- 

 green ; apothecia concolorous, or decidedly yellowish ; hold-fast 

 and basal portion of plant filled with red or orange coloring 

 matter. The living plant is perhaps a gray-green, the yellow 

 tinge coming out more strongly in herbarium specimens. 



Habitat, maritime rocks. 



This singular looking Ramalina occurs all along the coast of 

 California, wherever conditions are favorable. In places it 

 covers the rocks to such an extent that at some distance they 

 seem to be hidden from view by some kind of tufted grass. 



The holdfast is very strong and often brings a layer of rock 

 away with it. It contains a remarkable amount of orange-red 

 coloring matter and no doubt would furnish a satisfactory orchil. 



Specimens have been obtained at Golden Gate, San Fran- 

 cisco, Point San Pedro, Pilarcitos Creek Canon about two miles 

 from the ocean, and at Pebble Beach, Pescadero. I have ex- 

 amined specimens in the University herbarium from Santa 

 Cruz Island, off the coast of California near Santa Barbara, 

 collected by Mr. R. E. Snodgrass, and from Guadalupe Island, 

 Lower California, collected by the late Dr. W. W. Thoburn. 

 Rmnalina homalea Ach. Lich. Univ. 598. 1810. 



5. RAMALINA RETICULATA (Noehd.) Krempelh. 

 Lace Lichen. 



Thallus much compressed, greatly elongated, pendulous ; 

 very much branched, forming tangled mats : the whole plant 

 filled with holes, the result being a more or less coarse or deli- 

 cate net-work ; the branches giving off many lobules, also 

 reticulated ; color grayish green, alike on both sides. Apo- 

 thecia abundant, scattered over surface of plant, concolorous. 



This giant lichen is found throughout our range, but reaches 

 its greatest development in the lower foothills around San 

 Francisco Bay. It is common on trees and old fences, but 

 grows best on the deciduous oaks and the buckeye, ^scubcs 

 calif ornica. 



In deep dark humid cahons, or at great elevations where 

 subject to the influence of the prevailing ocean fogs and winds, 

 the thallus is exceedingly delicate and filmy, resembling the 



