32 TraiisacHons British MycoJogical Society. 



LICHENOLOGY, A NEW DEPARTURE. 



By A. Lorrain Smith F^.L.S. 



The question of adding Lichenology to our field of 

 activity has been mooted several times, and after a short 

 discussion at a recent meeting of members, it was decided 

 that there was good reason for extending and enriching the 

 scope of our work by associating the study of lichens with 

 that of mycology. 



There are numbers of 'fungi-lichens' or iichen-fungi' just 

 on the border-line between saprophytism and symbiosis 

 with algae, and much careful and exact work is waiting to 

 be done on these species out in the field and in the laboratory, 

 by some one acquainted with both fungi and lichens. There 

 is also a very large flora of the smaller fungi parasitic on 

 lichen thalli which will mainly be discovered and recognized 

 bv the student of lichens. A descriptive list of these was 

 recendy published in the Bulletin de la Societe Mycologique 

 de F" ranee Vols, xxviii. — xxx (191 2-14) by the deeply 

 lamented Abbe Vouaux, w^io was wantonly done to death by 

 the Germans in the early stages of the war. 



The great bar to the study of lichenology in our country 

 has been the lack of suitable text-books, that lack will be, 

 I hope, made good very soon. A general text-book on 

 Lichenology is ready and awaits publication. The 

 ■Monograph of British Lichens is now completed and a 

 guide-book somewhat on the lines of Hayw^ard's pocket 

 flora is in an advanced stage of preparation. The two latter 

 works are being published by the Trustees of the British 

 Museum. It is earnestly hoped that these books will appeal 

 to natural history students and will make the science easier 

 and more attractive. It will be possible to appoint in the 

 early future a member of our Society who will act as general 

 referee for lichens. 



