XLII. CONTRIBUTIONS TO A KNOWLEDGE OF 



THE LICHENS OF MINNESOTA —I. LICHENS 



OF THE LAKE OF THE WOODS. 



Bruce Fink. 



It was at first thought best to present in a single paper a full 

 list of all the lichens hitherto collected in the state, — about 200 

 species. But after looking through these collections it became 

 evident that the state is divided, as regards its lichen flora, into 

 three or more distinct regions. To give all together would 

 cover up to some extent the distinctive features of each region, 

 and this is not desirable. 



The lichen-flora of the portion of the state south of Minne- 

 apolis is essentially the same as that of Iowa. But when one 

 examines the lichens found at Taylors Palls, only forty-five 

 miles northeast of Minneapolis, he wonders at the great change 

 in species caused by the peculiar geological formation. The 

 lichens of the Lake of the Woods are, many of them, quite 

 strangers to both of the regions named above. Whether the 

 transition in lichen flora in passing from Minneapolis to the 

 Lake of the Woods is a gradual one. or occurs quite abruptly 

 at or near the shores of the lake, must be ascertained by a 

 further study of the lichens of the intervening territory. The 

 lichens of the Lake Superior region remain to be studied, and 

 are likely to furnish much that will be interesting. 



This paper is an account of collections made during the sum- 

 mer of 1894, by Professor Conway MacMillan and Mr. E. P. 

 Sheldon, and that made by Professor MacMillan in July, 1896, 

 on the American islands. The former collections are the more 

 complete as to localities, but the latter is the more complete in 

 number of species. 



The number of species listed is not large, but furnishes sev- 

 eral that are interesting because not reported from this portion 

 of the United States before. The genera, Cladonia, Stereo- 



