GRAPHIDE^E. 93 



terminated by very minute stick-shaped bodies (sper- 

 matia), which break off and escape through the orifices 

 of the capsules. These are probably the representa- 

 tives of the anthers of flowering plants and of the 

 antheridia of the ferns. They are, however, so dif- 

 ficult to find and examine, that I must refer to the 

 Dictionary for a further description and figures of 

 them. 



LECIDIN'E^;. This family contains the genus 

 Cladonia, three or four species of which are common 

 on boggy heaths, banks, &c., viz. Cladonia coccifera, 

 the Scarlet Cup-moss (PL II. fig. 21); C. pyxiddta, 

 the Common Cup-moss (PL II. fig. 23) ; C. vermicu- 

 Idris (PL II. fig. 22) ; and C. rangiferma, the Rein- 

 deer Moss (PL II. fig. 24) . The thallus of these Lichens 

 forms little rounded irregularly overlapping scales, 

 with scalloped edges, overgrowing the surface upon 

 -which the Lichens are found. The fruit-stalks, or 

 podetia (irovs, a foot), are hollow (fistulose), and 

 either simple and dilated into cups (PL II. fig. 23), 

 or branched with the corners or angles between the 

 adjacent branches perforated. The apothecia in the 

 young state resemble those of Parmelia on a small 

 scale; but as they approach maturity, the centre 

 becomes pushed up, so that the spore-layer is extended 

 over the ends of the stalks. In C. coccifera and 

 pyxidata the cups are proliferous at the margin ; i. e., 

 branches upon which the apothecia are placed arise 

 from it. The asci and paraphyses are very minute, 

 but do not differ essentially in structure from those 

 of Parmelia. In C. vermicularis the podetia are 

 pointed and more solid than in the other species, the 

 apothecia forming very minute spots at their apices. 



GRAPHID'E^E. To this family belong Gr aphis 

 scripta (PL II. fig. 26) and Opeg'rapha betulina (PL II. 

 fig. 30). These little Lichens are easily overlooked, 

 from the thin and but slightly raised thallus being only 

 visible to the naked eye as a discoloration of the bark 



