INTRODUCTION TO CRYPTOGAMIC BOTANY. 



S97 



down without any very distinct pustule ; we sliould, in fact, 

 have an Endocarpon. The terminal fruit on the numerous 

 branches of SpliceropliOTon (Fig. 83, h) is first indicated by a 

 swelling, and in process of time the outer bark bursts and 

 exposes the contents of the perithecium, which consist of asci, 

 and paraphyses seated on a central columella. It has been 

 supposed that the sporidia were connected together in monili- 

 form chains ; but there is no difference between them and the 





Fig. 83. 



a. Asci and sporidia of Endocarpon miniatum (Moug. and Nest. .57). 



b. Vertical section of perithecium of Sphcerophoron Coralloidcs (Moug. 

 and Nest, 262). 



c. Sporidia of ditto. 



d. Asci and paraphyses. 



All more or less mamified. 



sporidia of normal Lichens. The sporidia are beautiful objects 

 under the microscope, on account of their blue tint, and they 

 are singular amongst Lichens, with but few exceptions, on ac- 

 count of their spherical form, which is, however, often masked 

 by the rough epispore. The mode in which the mass of spores 

 breaks up is somewhat like that of Caliciimi, but they are 

 more closely compacted. They occur on trees and stones, and 

 are the great ornament of many a scattered boulder on the 

 mountains. Siphida differs in the hjmienium, never cracking 

 up into powdery particles, but is expanded and at length deci- 

 duous ; while Acroscyphus, which is much coarser, with the 

 habit of a branched Clavaria, opens by a pore only, has a thin 

 expanded hymenium and bipartite sporidia, like some species 



