PYCNIDES OF CRUSTACEOUS LICHENS. 203 
No sporidiiferous apothecia of a Verrucaria are to be found. There are, however, a few, 
but degenerate, lirellze of an Opegrapha, containing no sporidia. Leighton mentions that 
Taylor latterly referred his V. umbrosa to Opegrapha; while Scherer (Enum. p. 159) 
assigns it to Lithographa tesserata, DC. Spermogones occur on brownish or chestnut- 
coloured patches of thallus as small black cones, with a patent ostiole, these cones being 
about the size and having much the aspect of the perithecia of Verrucaria gemmifera, 
. which grows on a separate white areolate thallus on the same piece of stone. These sper- 
mogones are very abundant, appear as if sessile, are semiimmersed, frequently become 
irregular in shape, ring-like or chink-like, resembling the young lirellæ of an Opegrapha. 
Envelope of deep-brown cellular tissue. Spermatia rod-shaped, yoso X sosog, on sub- 
simple sterigmata, which are 45/55 to 4455 long with attached spermatia. | 
Species 7. V. NITIDA, Weig. (=.Pyrenula, Mudd, Br. Lich. p. 298). 
Specimen 1. On young ash, near Cork: Carroll, Mar. 1858. Spermogones are scattered 
over the thallus, outside the region of the apothecia, and also in their more usual situa- 
tion in this species, along the black hypothalline boundary-line. They are most variable 
in form and size. Sometimes they are isolated, largish, distinct, black or brown papillæ, 
resembling the perithecia of the Verrucaria. At other times they are punctiform, flattened, 
and immersed. "They frequently become confluent in age, and degenerate, their irregu- 
larity of shape and indistinctness being thereby increased. The spermatia are beautifully 
vermieular, among the most graceful in lichens, resembling those of Lecanora subfusca. 
When straightened out, their length is about 43555 — zooo their breadth 35555. The ste- 
rigmata are subcolumnar, simple, 125-1555 With attached spermatia. Basal cellular 
tissue pale brown. 
On separate patches of a thallus of a deep olive-green colour, on the same piece of bark, 
are brown, punctiform spermogones, with brownish cellular envelope, and oblong sper- 
matia, 3000 X 55-600 on simple linear sterigmata, that measure about 547 long with 
attached spermatia, and bifurcate or branch simply below. 
Specimen 2. On beech, Switzerland: Schr. Exs. No. 111, sub form major. Sper- 
mogones are plentiful in both specimens, especially the left-hand one in my copy, as 
small, round, brown points or cones semiimmersed or immersed, scattered among the 
apothecia, but chiefly about the periphery of the thallus. "They closely resemble out- 
wardly young apothecia, for which they are apt to be mistaken. Envelope of deep-brown 
cellular tissue. Spermatia very long, delicate, filiform and vermiform, curved or twisted 
as in Lecanora subfusca. Sterigmata longish, very delicate, simple, sometimes branching 
digitately from the base. 
Specimen 3. Gloddaeth, near Conway, Caernarvonshire: Leight. Exs. No. 27, sub form 
major. Spermogones abundant on the periphery of the thallus as very minute concep- 
tacles, normally or typically papillzeform, like the apothecia, though greatly smaller; but 
sometimes punctiform, flattish, or depressed. Spermatia very abundant and slender, 
curved or twisted typically. Sterigmata simple, vesicular, indistinct. 
Specimen 4. On birch-bark, Highlands of Scotland, 1778: Menzies, in the Menziesian 
herbarium, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, sub Y. decussata. The plant appears to 
VOL. XXVIII. 28 
