553 



boscidea, Cornicularia tristis, bicolor, aculeata and lanata, Lecidea si- 

 lacea, CEderi and sanguinaria, Nephroma resupinata, Peltidea scu- 

 tata and various other mosses, lichens and Hepatica;. 



After examining numerous specimens of the three lichens known as 

 Lecidea confluens, silacea and CEderi, I could not discover any good 

 marks of distinction, except in the colour of the crust, and even that 

 is not constant. Frequently the forms with a cinereous, yellow and 

 orange-red thallus may be seen distinct enough upon the same rock, 

 but in other cases the cinereous is seen blending into the yellow and 

 the orange-red. The apothecia are much alike in all, though varying 

 in form and size. They are at first flat, with a narrow, entire, eleva- 

 ted border, afterwards convex, and where they become confluent, an- 

 gular. The yellow form, or L. silacea, has frequently soredia resem- 

 bling the apothecia of Urceoloria. 



William Gardiner. 



Dundee, May 16th, 1846. 



Note on Equisetum variegatum of Weber and Mohr. 

 By Edward Newman. 



I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Mr. Cresswell, of Sal- 

 combe vicarage, near Sidmouth, for an interesting series of the true 

 Equisetum variegatum of Weber and Mohr, the erect, aquatic form of 

 the plant which had previously occurred to botanists only on the 

 banks of the Dee, in Kincardineshire, and in the Dublin canal. The 

 specimens received on the 20th of March were in full flower, indeed, 

 perhaps, rather passed perfection, so that this form of unbranched 

 Equisetum must be regarded as one of the earliest in flowering. Mr. 

 Cresswell's note, copied below, contains a most interesting observa- 

 tion on this subject. 



I may remark that Mr. Moore, of Dublin, still continues to regard 

 this form as a distinct species of Equisetum ; cultivating it in com- 

 pany with the more feeble and prostrate form called ' arenarium,' he 

 finds both plants preserve their respective habits and characters : I 

 am not desirous of enforcing my opinion against that of so distin- 

 guished a botanist, but feel disinclined to the multiplication of names, 

 except on very clear evidence : it may, however, be observed that in 

 the present instance Mr. Moore will scarcely propose an additional 



