4 On the Lichens near New- York. 



of the Lyceum, a catalogue of the Lichens, which I have col- 

 lected in the neighbourhood of this city, and within a 

 circuit of fifty miles ; a few are added, of which specimens 

 were received from correspondents in the northern part of 

 this State and in Massachusetts. To supply, in some mea- 

 sure, the barrenness of a bare enumeration, I have added the 

 leading characteristics of the different species; not with the 

 hope, however, of having always succeeded in defining them 

 with precision. The difficulty of seizing a single prominent 

 feature, which shall be invariable in all cases, will be acknow- 

 ledged by those who have studied this microscopic and po- 

 lymorphous family. Specimens of a number of species, of 

 which I could find no descriptions, were sent to Mr. De 

 Schweinitz, the highest authority on this subject in this country, 

 for his opinion; and I have retained the names which were re- 

 turned by that gentleman : I should add, however, that for the 

 imperfect descriptions attempted of them, I alone am respon- 

 sible. I have only to express the hope, that this sketch may 

 call the attention of our botanists to this interesting family of 

 plants, so remarkable for their beauty and variety, and the im- 

 portant part they perform in the vegetable economy. 



I. Class. IDIOTHALAMI. 



1. Order. HOMOGENEr. Apothecia simple, wholly formed 



from a uniform pulverulent or cartilaginous substance. 



\ Ajaothecia without a raised margin. 



1. Spiloma. 



1. melaleucum. Ach. Syn. p. 2. Common on rough bark 



of trees. 



2, roseurn. Nov. spec, nobis. Rare. On bark of Juglans. 



S. crusta tenui, granulosa, rosea; apotheciis solitariis, 

 punctiformibus, pulveraceis, saturate roseis. Fig. 1. 

 This pretty little Lichen, found on the rough bark of Hicko- 

 ry, for the present I refer to this genus, with which it appears 

 to have greater affinity than with any other. It is readily dis^ 



