2G BrnEBACKi. Fptrexopsts. 



are enveloped in a thicki.sh gelatiuose tunic.'" The apothecia are rare in 

 the few British specimens gathered, and the spores are seldom well deve- 

 loped. AVe have not detected any mature spermogoues on our specimens, 

 though these would determine more definitely the place of this species, as 

 the spermatia in the Plujlllscodei (Nyl. Flora, 1887, p. 133) are elongate 

 and arcuate. 



Hah. On moist mica-schist rocks in alpine places. — Distr. Very local 

 and rare, having been found ouly very sparingly among the S. Grampians. 

 — B. M. : Summit of Ben Lawers, Perthshire. 



Tribe III. HOMOPSIDEI Nyl. e.v Stiz. St. GaU. Xat. Ges. 

 l^Tt), p. 1U3 ; Flora, 18:^7, p. 133. 



Thallus variable iu form and texture, being either (1) fructi- 

 culose, with gonimia seriate, and chiefly contiguous or seriately 

 connate in the branches and branchlets, or (2) squamuliform or 

 granuloso-continuous, uniform, with gonimia (haplogonimia) some- 

 what large and subsolitary, or large and solitarj", always gelatinoso- 

 involute ; medullary filaments wanting. Apothecia pyrenocarpous, 

 innate in thalline protuberances, externally more or less eminent, 

 or immersed and without any external protuberance ; spores simple 

 or rarely 1-septate ; paraphyses slender or none. Spermogones 

 inclosed in thalline protuberances, or immersed and without any 

 protuberance ; spermatia either shortly cylindrical, straight (the 

 feterigmata simple), or elongate, thin, arcuate (the sterigmata 

 simple, somewhat short). 



This tribe comprises various small brown or blackish plants, agreeing 

 in the common character of having pyreuocarp jus apothecia, though in 

 other respects differing considerably in the several genera. According 

 to the form and texture of the thallu^j, the arrangement of the gonimia, 

 and the presence or absence of thalline protuberances enclosing the 

 fructification, it is divided into two subtribes, viz. Ephehei and PhifUi-i- 

 codei. To the latter, according to xSy lander in lift., belongs C'ollcma 

 (franuliforme 'S\\. = P/ii/lliscodiiim yranuUforme Nyl., which, although 

 recorded (erroneously) by Leighton (Lich. Fl. ed. 3, p. 22) from Galway, 

 has not been gathered in our Islands. 



Subtribe EPHEBEI Nyl. ex Stiz. St. GaU. Xat. Ges. 1876, 

 p. 193 ; Flora, 1887, p. 133. 



Thallus small, byssoid, fructiculoso-ramose ; gonimia tunicated, 

 in nodulose syugonimia. Apothecia minute, pyrenocarjjous, iu 

 ellipsoid or pyritorm iucrassations of the thallus, paraphyses distinct 

 or none : spores Snse, ellipsoid, simple or I-3-septate, colourless. 

 Spermogones innate in globular or shortlj' ellipsoid thalline tubercles, 

 with slender, simplish sterigmata. 



The thallus in its younger and immature state is entirely Sirosiphoid 

 in structure ; so that this subtribe might briefly be defined as c )nsistiug 

 of " pvrenocarpous sirosiphoid Ephebacei." Its two genera are well 

 distingiushed from each other by the anatomical characters of the 

 apothecia. 



