Lichenes.~\ 



FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 



305 



grows on the dead stem of some Fern. Mr. Bidwill's plant (barren) is on the trunk of a tree, and suffused here and 

 there with a pinkish hue beneath, somewhat resembling in general appearance small states of Mvernia prunastri, Aeh. — 

 The var. jB (to which the large figure in the plate belongs) is a remarkable form, but connected with the type by 

 intermediate states. The thallus at the base is very conspicuous, and may be compared to that of Cladonia alcicomis 

 or cervicornis; it is irregularly divided and dissected; a few smaller scales are scattered over the otherwise naked 

 podetia : these last are at first channelled, then explanate, very broad, half an inch or more, divided or rather split 

 in a palmated manner into three or four subcanaliculate branches, with margins occasionally subspinulose ; upper 

 surface glaucous, scarcely at all corrugated, except at their fertile extremities, where they are very deeply pitted ; 

 under side slightly corrugated, white, blackish towards the base, with an occasional buff tinge. Apothecia inferior, 

 very large above, y L of an inch wide in the largest specimen, including the margins, the disc itself being nearly f an 

 inch. The margin is in age much corrugated below, snow-white, irregularly split and erose at the edges, not uni- 

 form in breadth, but widest at the upper extremity, i.e. at the termination of the branch of the podetium.— Plate 

 CXXX. C. Figs. 1-4, various states, natural size ; 5, vertical section of podetium and apothecium; 6, portion of 

 apothecium; 7, immature, and 8, mature asci; 9 and 10, sporidia; 11, gouidia :— all highly magnified. 



4. Sphserophoron compressum, Ach. Fries, Lick. Eur. p. 404. 



Hab. Northern and Middle Islands, Colenso, Bidwill, etc. 



This species has a good deal of the ramification of 8. coralloides, but the structure and position of the apothecia 

 are the same as in the preceding species. 



With respect to the geographical distribution of this genus, the species affect the frigid and temperate zones of 

 both hemispheres, but I am not aware that they have been found within the tropics, though 8. coralloides occurs in 

 the Canary Islands. The three European species are also found in the south, to which 8. lenerum and S. australe 

 (of which 8. insigne, Laur. ! is probably a form) are exclusively confined. See more minute particulars in Hooker, 

 as above.. 



A singular state (barren) of some species of Sphcerophoron (as it seems) has been collected by Mr. Colenso in 

 the Northern Island and at Port Nicholson, by Dr. Lyall. The stems are terete, coal-black below and polished, 

 or else of a velvety consistence, ferruginous above, flaccid; the branches are very much divided, and end in 

 numerous glaucous purplish flaccid capillary branchlets, which are decompounded in a remarkable degree. The 

 whole plant has a dark lurid appearance, and is evidently a morbose condition of some other Lichen, perhaps of 

 8. tenerum, Laur. 



Tkibe II. ENBOCABBEjE. 

 Gen. XXIII. TRYPETHELIUM, Ach. 



1. Trypethelium madreporiforme, Eschw. ; crasta subcerata nitidiuscula flavo-virente, stromate sub- 

 globoso extus duriusculo brunneo intus luteo, apotheciis circa ostiolum denudatis a verruca elevato-mar- 

 ginatis.— Eschw. in Mart. Ic. Set. Crypt. Brasil. p. 19. t. 9./. 6. Mont.! Ann. des 8c. Nat. t. 19. p. 68 

 (ser. ii.) ; ejusdem Crypt. Gmjan. n. 212. in Ann. des Sc. Nat. t. 16. p. 70. (ser. iii.) Paullulum differt 

 Lichen N. Zelandiee, 



Var. /3. obscurius, Bab. ; crusta erumpente albida subpapillata deinde evanescente, stromate intus 

 subfusco. 



Hab. Northern Island, on aged bark, Colenso. 



Except in the nature of the crust and the internal colour of the stroma (which is possibly due to age, or 

 perhaps to a more temperate climate), Mr. Colenso's Lichen agrees with Eschweiler's figure, and with a specimen 

 from Dr. Montague gathered by M. Leprieur in French Guiana. Mr. Spruce has also collected it on the banks of 

 the Amazon, but we are not aware of this Lichen having been hitherto found, except in tropical America, to which* 



vol. ii. 4 x 



