530 DR. LINDSAY ON NEW-ZEALAND LICHENS. 
Genus XIV. SPHÆROPHORON. (Plate LXII.) 
Sp. 1. S. TENERUM, Laur. (Fig. 4.) [Linds. Spermog. p. 149, plate vi. fig. 53.] 
On the bark of decaying or dead trees, Saddle-hill bush, Otago: W. L. L.: sterile, 
A large, lax, straggling plant, sometimes 4 to 1 foot in diameter. It resembles some of 
the laxer forms of the common 5. coralloides, to which, indeed, I refer it. In general 
aspect it has also some resemblance to various species of Stereocaulon and Cladonia, 
Its corticolous habit is somewhat peculiar, as contrasted at least with the general 
terricolous or saxicolous habit of the northern Spherophora. The same peculiarity 
pertains to certain of the New-Zealand Cladoniæ. 
In Auckland-Island specimens (fig. 4) in my herbarium (Dr. Hooker, Antarct, 
Exped.), in fruit and spermogoniferous, the spores are quite those of S. coralloides ani 
S. compressum, somewhat variable as to size, covered or associated with a bluish black 
powder (5). The spermatia are very minute, atomic, ellipsoid, borne apparently on com- 
pound or articulated sterigmata, which, however, were indistinctly seen. In my Mem. 
Spermog. (plate vi. figs. 47 & 51) I have figured the sterigmata and spermatia of à. 
compressum and S. coralloides—the former as simple, though subramose, the latter as 
linear. If the foregoing observation in S. tenerum is correct, it is distinguished from 
its co-speciés by possessing compound or jointed sterigmata, and shorter, ellipsoid sper- 
matia. Nylander (in his Syn. p. 169, plate v. fig. 47) describes and figures the sper- 
matia of the genus Spherophoron as oblong, but those of S. compressum he refers to a 
ellipsoid. Again, those of S. fragile he describes as oblong-cylindrical (p. 172, plate v. 
fig. 45), though they appear of similar form and size to those of S. compressum. 
Sp. 2. S. compressum, Ach. (Figs. 5-7.) [Linds. Spermog. 149.] 
Auckland (Dr. Sinclair) : in fruit and spermogoniferous (fig. 5), but both apothecia and 
spermogones for the most part degenerate. Spores spherical, about 00045" in diameter, 
margined in maturity, generally more or less covered and obscured by dark, granular, - 
black or bluish-black colouring-matter ; differing in no respect from those of S. coralloides — | 
and S. tenerum. The plant is essentially the British one; which, however, is seldom 0 
handsome as southern and (especially antarctic) forms. In a specimen of 5. compressum | 
my herbarium (fig. 7), from Ireland (Miss Hutchins), the spores are colourless (a, €), whi 
they are in the young (and sometimes also in the old) state in all species of Spher ophoror — 
They are spherical, frequently about 0002” in diameter, but variable both as to size an | 
form, often presenting in age irregularities in outline (5), resembling those produced Y | 
blood-corpuscles by exosmotie and endosmotic changes. In herbarium Kew (Au 
—Colenso and Dr. Joliffe, 1853) are some sterile specimens : thallus much deform’ | 
and covered with isidiiform and subfoliaceous growths. | 
Var. Australe, Laur. [Spherophoron Australe, Bab., L. N. Z. p. 40, plate CXV d 
Linds. Spermog. 151.) oe 
North Island, New Zealand (Colenso); Cape Horn, Falkland Islands, Campbell’s Island | 
(Dr. Hooker, Antarctic Expedition) ; Port Famine (King); Tasmania (Fraser and Gum | 
New Holland (Sieber): all in herbarium Kew; the antarctic series also in my he 
