DR. LINDSAY ON NEW-ZEALAND LICHENS. 525 
The plant is very rare in fruit; but in the sterile condition it is frequently extremely 
abundant, “mossing” over trees to such an extent as to give them, at a distance, 
the aspect of possessing a peculiar light-green foliage. It clothes forest-trees in the 
same way and to the same extent that it does in Europe. It appears to be as variable 
in New Zealand as in Britain; and all the British forms are to be seen more or less 
abundantly throughout New Zealand. None of them are, in my opinion, well defined or 
deserving of separate rank as named varieties. It appears to me to be sufficient for the 
purposes of the student or of science, in the case of a plant so infinitely variable, to 
record in classification the general directions or forms of its variation. Not only do I 
reduce all British forms to a single protean species, but not a few foreign ones are (as 
in the parallel case of Ramalina) capable of reduction, with advantage, to the same 
cosmopolite type, U. barbata. 
A. Var. ceratina, Ach. 
1. On trees, Christie’s bush, Saddle-hill, Otago: W. L. L. . Fertile and sterile; very 
variable in its external characters. 
Spores broadly oblong-ellipsoid or subspherieal, simple, 
turity, about 0003” in diameter. Thecæ 8-spored, broadly obovate or saccate above, 
015" to 0018” long, 0006" to :0009" broad. Both thecæ and spores are larger and 
more distinct than in New-Zealand specimens of var. florida ; otherwise the characters 
of the hymenium are identical. The apothecia are sometimes brown-maculated with 
a parasite * (Phymatopsis dubia, Linds.), which also occurs, alike in European and New- 
Zealand specimens, on the thallus and cephalodia (figs. 29-32). In other cases the epi- 
theeium is eroded in patches, exposing the yellow hypothecium. The SCORE ad ^ zd 
thecia is frequently a pale flesh-tint, or à brownish yellow. The margin is fringed C 
numerous branch-like, filiform, divergent cilia or fibres. Fructiferous specimen à en 
à thallus combining sometimes the characters of those of vars. plicata and pe vem 
thalline segments are frequently filiform, very slender, and much — iA 8 i 
speeimens vary in other directions. Generally the aspect 18. WARY > * Mogunt t the 
colour pale lemon-yellow. Occasionally there are brownish-red discolora = tap , 
bases of the main branches. In some cases the branchlets are onum m oed 
minute soredia and isidiiform tubercles; in others, the cortical layer — = m 
annularly here and there, constituting the condition called T m i^ : En 
maral white medullary thread being exposed. In articulate form ae, e 
n0 inflation of the so-called joints; but sometimes; 
colourless, margined in ma- 
in the larger Or main b 
ner lace. 
are slight constrictions, where annular deci i in fruit and spermogones, 
2. On twigs of trees, Auckland: Dr. Sincl er (which are black like those 
the latter occurring, t i f certain : 
ring, towards the tips o Re bercles. The ordinary- 
of Neuropogon melaxanthus), as isolated or scattered distinct MN ters of. var. 
: The plant has the charac 
əd branchlets are sterile as to spermogone®- 
irta J 
In arium Kew [sland (Dr. Joliffe), 
3. In herbarium Kew. On old trees, mostly Mangroves. North ( 
p: 442, plate xxx. figs. 36-42. 
* Obs. Otago Lich. and Fungi ro 
VOL. xxy, 
