miES ON A REMARKABLE LICHEN GROWTH IN 

 CONNECTION WITH A NEW SPECIES OF 

 STICTA: WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF BOTH. 



By Rev. F. R. M. WILSON, Kew, Victoi-ia. 



[B(-'i(J hetnrr the Rni/al Saciety ot QuernshiwJ, AiKjmt 16th, 18S9] 



Ix April, 1880, I found in a fern- tree gully, on ]\Iount Macedon, 

 Victoria, a Sticta, which I sent to Dr. Charles Knight, of New 

 Zealand, and which he pronounced a new species. He named 

 it Stictd sti/iitatfi. 



In the same gullv, and at the same time, I found a few 

 specimens of a remarkahle plant, somewhat like a minute lead- 

 coloured ostrich feather. Microscopical examination revealed, 

 under the upper cortex, a stratum of gominic granules ; which 

 l^ut it beyond doubt that the plant was a lichen. But to what 

 tribe of lichen it belonged I could not decide. 



Among the specimens collected were found one or two 

 which were tipped by a minute broad green frond, having in its 

 under surface white urceolate eyphellfe, and containing true 

 yellowish-green gonidia. In fact, it seemed to be a minute 

 Sticta, with some resemblance to the plant Sticta stij/itata. 

 But the presence of a Sticta or anything hke a Sticta on the 

 apex of so diverse a plant was a puzzle which I put aside till I 

 should get more materials for examination. 



In February, 1887, I found in another fern-tree gully on 

 the same mountain a few more specimens of these lead-coloured 

 plutnules, and among them some which were tipped by larger 

 fronds, l)earing a still closer resemljlance to a Sticta and to the 

 species stipitata. The idea then grew stronger that this strange 

 plume-like plant might be tlie juvenile form of Sticta atipitata. 



