100 Notice of rare Plants, fyc. 



CLADONIA UNCIALIS. Jlch . 



Variety, e. * Reticulata. 

 Netted Coral Lichen. Cryptogamia, L. 

 Natural order. Lichenes. Jussieu. 



Stems three or four inches long, glaucous green, elongated, 

 depressed, carious : branches numerous, forked, sometimes per- 

 forated in the axils, but generally covered with a net work ; 

 summits tending to cup-shape; the edges proliferous, and branch- 

 ed in forks ; tubercles minute but distinct^ brown. 



My herbarium and that of the Society. 



OBSERVATIONS. The genus Cladonia to which this curious va- 

 riety belongs, is distinguished by its upright and fistulous stems, 

 furnished with numerous branches, each tipped with a small 

 black, brown or red body (its propagulum) or organ for contin- 

 uing the species, analogous to those stem-bulbs seen on some 

 kinds of the more perfect vegetables. Whoever has rambled 

 over dry pastures in the months of summer, must remember the 

 crackling under feet, of species of this group of brittle coral-like 

 plants. 



In it may be found the valuable Rein Deer Moss C. rangife- 

 rinum, and the beautiful scarlet C. bacillaris, which delights to 

 grow on decayed trees, posts, rails, and is not unfrequent in the 

 interstices of large sunny rocks contiguous to the forest. 



The subject of the present observations was found in Hing- 

 ham, Plymouth County, on a mild sunny day of the last winter, 

 and subsequently in great abundance at the same place among 

 the mossy rocks of a pasture, south east of " Tranquility 

 Grove ; " a sylvan retreat well known to the inhabitants of that 

 town for its delightful shade, and pleasant summer pic nic par- 

 ties. I have given it the name of Netted Cladonia or Coral 

 Lichen, and consider it the fifth variety of Cladonia uncialis, 

 of which Acharius in his Prodromus, has mentioned four pre- 

 viously ascertained. 



