33 



dry and desert country it possesses ; but, just as our coast 

 line is very rich in sj^ecies of ferns and fungi, so it is in 

 Lichens. Our Cryptogamic flora generally may be regarded 

 as best represented on the coast from Tasmania northwards, 

 becoming richer in proportion as the climate becomes 

 warmer. Amongst the Queensland Lichens, as in New 

 Zealand and Tasmania, we find a good many species which 

 are found all over the world, but not so many as E. Brown 

 supposes. It must not surj)rise us to see them so widely 

 diffused when we remember how excessively fine the spores 

 are, and how easily borne along by the very lightest breath 

 of air. As far as it has been examined, the Queensland 

 Lichen flora possesses many novelties, but it is not sufficiently 

 known to make any general conclusions. The species here 

 described belong to 34 genera, distributed in the following 

 way ; — Ohrijziim, 1 ; Collema, 1 ; Leptocjium, 3 ; Myriangmmj 

 1 ; JBceomyces, 1 ; Cladonia, 8 ; Usnea, 5 ; Eamalina, 4 ; 

 Platysma, 1 ; NepTirommm, 1 ; Sticta, 4 ; Siictina, 6 ; Parmo- 

 stida, 1 ; Parmelia, 24 ; Pyxine, 3 ; Pannaria, 2 ; Coccocarp^ia, 

 1 ; Lecanora, 8, with 4 varieties ; Perhisaria, 3 ; Thelotrema, 

 2 ; Ascidium, 2 ; CcEnogonium, 3 ; Lecidea, 20 ; Grapliis, 9 ; 

 Opegraplia, 1 ; Glyphis, 3 ; Arthonia, 1 ; Cliiodedon, 2 ; Try- 

 pethelium, 3 ; Endoccupon, 1 ; Plagiothelium, 1 ; Verriicaria, 

 12 ; Strigula, 3 ; Physcia, 1. 



This makes in all 145 species, and four varieties. The 

 Lichen flora of Queensland must be, of course, much larger 

 than this. In New Zealand, which is the best known of the 

 Australasian islands in this respect, there are 44 genera, and 

 about 250 species, that is including Dr. Lindsay's enume- 

 rations. A good many of the New Zealand species are found 

 in Australia, but probably not all. In general there is a 

 strong resemblance between those of New Zealand and all 

 the Pacific Islands. Some relations also exist with South 

 America. Both these features aj^pear in Australian Lichens, 

 but not in so marked a manner. In New Zealand the High- 

 land dye Lichen, Lecanora tartavea, occurs, but not Boccella 

 iindoria. Parmelia saxatilis is another dye Lichen which is 

 common in New Zealand, and is most probably in Australia 

 as well, because it is of world-wide distribution. 



As a guide to those who may be in search of these 

 organisms, it must be remarked that collections from various 

 places are what are most needed. It must not be imagined 

 that because many species have a wide distribution that some 

 are not very local. Again, external resemblances are no guide 

 in establishing the identity of species — a minute examination 

 and comparison will be necessary. So that beginners need not 

 fear, in collecting everything, that they are not making useful 



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