170 A CONTRIBUTION TO, ETC. 



may be found not only on the introduced oak and pine, but also 

 on several colonial trees, especially Casuarina paludosa. One of 

 the most prominent differences between the genera, is in the dis- 

 position of the apothecia, those of the former being sessile, and 

 those of the latter immersed. 



(9) Bcsomyces, which derives its name from baios, small, and 

 myces, a mushroom, is a genus consisting of diminutive plants 

 closely resembling fungi. Of this genus I have noticed only one 

 species, viz., B. rufus. This plant has been placed in somewhat 

 the same position with regard to fungi, as Collema has to algae, 

 for whilst the one has been claimed as a fungus, the latter has 

 been claimed as an alga. The presence, however, of what licheno- 

 logists term gonidia (or green reproductive granules found in the 

 medullary layer), is said to have settled the question. 



(10) Cladonia. This genus was formerly called Cenomyce, but 

 it is now more usually termed Cladonia, from dados, a small 

 branch, in allusion to the branch-like appearance of some species 

 of it. From possessing a vertical, as well as horizontal thallus, 

 the Cladonice rank amongst the highest typical forms of lichens, 

 the podetium or the stalk-like elevation of the thallus being re- 

 garded by some as a modification of the foliole, or squamule. I 

 have collected near Parramatta, C. pyxidata, C. furcata, C. gracilis, 

 O. lellidiflora, and C. cervicornis. The first of these acquires its 

 specific name from pyxis, a cup or box, in allusion to the scyphi- 

 ferous podetia, and it is of a greenish or greyish colour. There 

 can be no doubt of the medicinal properties of this species, though 

 probably they have been much over-rated. It contains a con- 

 siderable amount of starchy matter, and in many respects re- 

 sembles Cetraria Islandica, or Iceland moss, being useful in 

 affections of the chest. C. furcata is very common, and is either 

 glaucous or brownish, growing not only on the shady banks of 

 creeks, or on moist rocks, but also in damp places generally. 

 During the late wet season, it has appeared in almost all the 

 fields of the neighbourhood. This species is liable to consider- 

 able variation, and one of the varieties resembles C. rangiferina, or 

 reindeer moss, so closely that it may easily be taken for it. C. 

 gracilis is of a colour similar to the last, and grows on the ground, 

 and generally amongst moss. It is also very widely distributed, 

 being found both in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. C. lei- 



