106 LICHENACEI. [SPHJSROPHORUS. 



This singular form occurs in compact tufts, sometimes very closely 

 oppressed to the substratum, and is probably only a stunted condition of 

 the type. It resembles the following species, but* is distinguished by the 

 fibrillose and subfasciculate branches, and by the reaction of the medulla 

 with iodine. It is never seen fertile. 



Hob. On naked boulders in subalpine regions. Distr. Very local and 

 scarce among the Grampians and in the N.W. Highlands of Scotland. 

 B. M. : Ben Lawers, Perthshire ; Morrone, Braemar, Aberdeenshire ; 

 hills of Applecross, Ross-shire. 



3. S. fragilis Ach. Meth. (1803) p. 135. Thallus densely caespi- 

 tose, sparingly and dichotomously branched, nearly erect, greyish- 

 white, brownish or lurid-greyish (K + yellowish, medulla I-); 

 branches rounded, fastigate, naked, not fibrillose. Apothecia ter- 

 minal, globose, black ; receptacle irregularly dehiscent above ; spores 

 spherical or globoso-ellipsoid, 0,007-16 mm. in diameter. Gray, 

 Nat. Arr. i. p. 487 ; Hook. Fl. Scot. ii. p. 67 ; Cromb. Lich. Bri't. 

 p. 15; Leight. Lich. Fl. p. 51, ed. 3, p. 49. SpTiceroplioron coral- 

 loides ft. fragile Mudd, Man. p. 264. Lichen fragilis Linn. Sp. PI. 

 (1753) p. 1154; Lightf. Fl. Scot. ii. p. 888 pro parte; Eng. Bot. 

 2474. SpTicerophoron coralloides ft. ccespitosuin Turn. & Borr. Lich. 

 Br. p. Ill ; Sm. Eng. Fl. v. p. 232; Leight. Br. Angi. Lich. p. 8, 

 t. i. f. 2. Coralloides alpinum, Corallince minoris facie Dill. Muse. 

 116, t. 17. f. 34 A, B. 



Though regarded as a variety of S. coralloides, this is distinguished by 

 the smaller and densely caespitose thallus, the fastigiate efibrillose 

 branches, and the chemical reactions, though that with K is but little 

 visible in darker-coloured thalli. It is usually pulvinate, and even when 

 best developed scarcely an inch in height, frequently glaucous towards the 

 apices and lurid near the base of the branches, occasionally reddish, 

 suffused on the surface with peroxide of iron. The apothecia are less 

 regularly globose than in the preceding species, the fertile branches being 

 more or less protruded. It is most frequently sterile. The spermogones 

 are common, with spermatia oblongo-cylindrical, very minute, 0,003 mm. 

 long, about 0,001 mm. thick. 



Hob. On mossy (also naked) rocks and boulders in upland, subalpine, 

 and alpine situations. Distr. General and common in the hilly and 

 mountainous tracts of Great Britain and Ireland, reaching to the highest 

 summits of the Scottish Grampians. B. M : Ardingly Rocks, Sussex ; 

 Hay Tor and Lustleigh Cleeve, Dartmoor, S. Devon ; near Liskeard, 

 Cornwall ; Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire ; Craigforcla, near Oswestry, 

 Shropshire ; Rhewgreidden, Merionethshire ; Snowdon, Carnarvonshire ; 

 Island of Anglesea ; Helsby, Cheshire ; Farndale, Yorkshire ; Egleston 

 and Teesdale, Durham ; Ennerdale, Cumberland ; the Cheviots, North- 

 umberland. New Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire ; Ben Lomond, Dum- 

 bartonshire ; Craig Calliach, Ben Lawers, near Crieff, and Loch Ericht, 

 Perthshire; Clova Mts., Forfarshire; Craig Coinnoch, Glen Callater, 

 Loch-na-gar and Ben-naboord, Braemar, Aberdeenshire ; Ben Nevis, 

 Inverness-shire ; Culbin, Forres, Elginshire ; hills of Applecross, Ross- 

 shire ; near Lairg, Sutherlandshire. Killarney, co. Kerry ; Malin Head, 

 co. Antrim ; Connemara, co. Gal way. 



