252 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1758. 



the true usnea of the Arabians, whatever title they may seem to have to it, either 

 from their colour or smell. Bellonius, as he is quoted by Dr. Dillenius, tells 

 us, * that the true usnea, or bryon, as he calls it, is sold at Constantinople 

 under the name of usiiech ; and tells us we are deceived in believing ours to be 

 the true usnea.' Dillenius has therefore described another species,* which he re- 

 ceived from the East Indies, from Madegascar, and St. Helen's, as the usnea 

 Arabum. This plant the Indians call saliaga ; and Camelli assures us that while 

 fresh it has a very fragrant musk-smell. He adds, that he had himself experi- 

 enced what Serapio says of it ; viz. that a vinous infusion of it restrains fluxes, 

 stops vomiting, strengthens the stomach, and induces sleep. The common 

 usnea of the shops was said to be the basis of that fine perfumed powder, which 

 the French called corps de cypre gris, and which formerly made a great article 

 of trade at Montpelier. 



We may here observe by the bye, that the usnea cranii humani, which through 

 the influence of superstition formerly obtained a place in the catalogues of the 

 materia medica, does not belong to this division of the lichens. The writers of 

 those times distinguished two kinds of usnea hurnana, under the names of Crus- 

 tacea and villosa. Any of the crustaceous lichens, but more properly the com- 

 mon grey- blue pitted lichenoides of Dillenius, was used for the former of these ; 

 and as Dale tells us, was held in most esteem. The villosa was a species of the 

 genus of hypnum. Indeed it does not appear that they were in those days very 

 curious in determining the exact kind ; and doubtless any moss which happened 

 to grow upon a human skull was sufficient for the purposes designed. 



2. LiCHENES FrUTICULOSI. 



Such as consist of a tough flexible matter, formed into ramifications, in some 

 species almost simple, in others resembling small shrubs : in some of the species 

 the branches are quite solid, in others tubular. 



This order comprehends the third of Dillenius's genus of coralloides ; the whole 

 cladonia of Hill: the 2d, and several species of the 3d order of Haller's lichens; 

 several species of the 5th, and the whole 6th, order of Micheli : and the lichenes 

 fruticulosi of Linneus. The plants of this genus grow principally on the ground 

 on heaths, forests, and mountainous barren places ; except the orcelle, or Ca- 

 nary-weed, which is found upon the rocks on the sea-coast. To this division 

 belongs the horned moss.-j- It is found with us in rocky barren ground, and on 



• Usnea ceratoides candicans glabra et odorata Hist. Muse. p. 71. Muscus arboreus candicans et 

 odorifer CamelU Raii Hist. iii. Append, p. 3.— Orig. 



+ Coralloides corniculis longioribus et rarioribus. Dillen. Hist. Muse. p. 103. Muscus cornicu- 

 latus Get, p. 1372. Park. 1308. Raii Hist. i. p. 112. iii. p. 28. Lichenoides tubulosura cinereum 

 roxnxxs crustaceum nainusque ramosum Raii Syn. 3, p. 67. — Orig. 



