152 



MORPHOLOGY 



VI. HYMENOLICHENS 



A. SUPPOSED AFFINITY WITH OTHER PLANTS 



Lichens in which the fungal elements belong to the Hymenomycetes 

 are confined to three tropical genera. They are associated with blue-green 

 algae and are most nearly related to the Thelephoraceae among fungi. The 

 spores are borne, as in that family, on basidia. 



The best known Hymenolichen, Cora Pavonia (Fig. 86), was discovered 

 by Swartz 1 during his travels in the W. Indies (1785-87) growing on trees 



Fig. 86. Cora Pavonia Fr. (after Mattirolo). 



in the mountains of Jamaica, and the new plant was recorded by him as 

 Ulva montana. Gmelin 2 also included it in Ulva in close association with 

 Ulva (Padina) Pavonia, but that classification was shortly after disputed by 

 Woodward 3 who thought its affinity was more nearly with the fungi and 

 suggested that it should be made the type of a new genus near to Boletus 

 (Polystictus} versicolor. Fries 4 in due time made the new genus Cora, though 

 he included it among algae; finally Nylander 5 established the lichenoid 

 character of the thallus and transferred it to the Lecanorei. 



It was made the subject of more exact investigation by Mattirolo 8 who 



1 Swartz 1788. 

 \ 



2 Gmelin 1791. 

 5 Nylander 1855. 



8 Woodward 1797. 

 6 Mattirolo 1881. 



4 Fries 1825. 



