Synoptical View of the Lichens growing in the vicinity of 

 the City of New- York. By Abraham Halsey. Read be- 

 fore the Lyceum, June 16, 1823. 



Notwithstanding the great progress which the science of 

 botany has made in this country, the cryptogamic branch of 

 it still suffers under the most unmerited neglect. Of the se- 

 veral tribes which compose this interesting department, the 

 Ferns and Mosses have received some share of attention ; and 

 the Fongi have lately been ably illustrated by Mr. De 

 Schweinitz, in his valuable work on the Fungi of North 

 Carolina ; but the Algse and Lichens appear to have been but 

 little regarded ; the Catalogue of Muhlenberg comprising such 

 as were observed chiefly in his immediate neighbourhood, and 

 the brief enumeration in the New-York Catalogue, being the 

 only sources of information from whence the little we have on 

 these subjects is derived. The difficulty with which the stu- 

 dent of cryptogamy has to contend, is greatly enhanced by the 

 scarcity of books with enlarged descriptions and figures, and the 

 rarity of well-authenticated specimens; a very few of which 

 are occasionally to be found in private collections. The Synop- 

 sis of Acharius is almost the only work on the Lichens to which 

 access can be had in this place ; and the extreme difficulty of 

 determining, with his definitions, our native species, diversified 

 as they are by difference of soil and climate, is very apt to deter 

 botanists from the study of Lichenology. We look, therefore, 

 with eagerness, to our own cryptogamists, who describe from 

 indigenous specimens ; and in particular the loag-promised 

 work of Mr. De Schweinitz, would constitute an important era 

 in the history of this science, in rendering the treasures of our 

 cryptogamy as accessible as those of the elder and more fa- 

 voured branch of botany. 



In the mean time, under the persuasion that the smallest 

 contribution will be acceptable, I offer, for the consideration 



