106 LICHEXACEI. [sPHiEROPHORUS. 



This singular form occurs in compact tufts, sometimes very closely 

 appressed to the substi-atum, and is probably only a stunted condition of 

 the type. It resembles the following species, but is distinguished by the 

 fibrillose and subfasciculate branches, and by the reaction of the medulla 

 with iodine. It is never seen fertile. 



Hab. On naked boulders in subalpine regions. — Distr. Very local and 

 scarce among the Grampians and in the X.W. Highlands of Scotland. — 

 B. M. : Ben Lawers, Perthshire ; Morrone, Braemar, Aberdeenshire ; 

 hills of Applecross, Ross-shire. 



3. S. fragilis Ach. Meth. (1803) p. 135.— Thallus densely csespi- 

 tose, sparingly and dichotomotisly branched, nearly erect, greyish- 

 white, brownish or lurid-greyish (K + yellowish, medulla I — ) ; 

 branches rounded, fastigate, naked, not fibrillose. Apothecia ter- 

 minal, globose, black ; receptacle irregularly dehiscent above ; spores 

 spherical or globoso-ellipsoid, 0,007-16 mm. in diameter. — Gray, 

 Xat. Arr. i. p. 487 ; Hook. Fl. Scot. ii. p. 67 ; Cromb. Lich. Brit, 

 p. 15; Leight. Lich. Fl. p. 51, ed. 3, p. 49. — SpTitn-ophoron coral- 

 loides /J. fragile Mudd. Man. p. 264. Lichen fragilis Linn. Sp. PI. 

 (1753) p. 1154; Lightf. Fl. Scot. ii. p. 888 pro parte; Eng. Bot. 

 2474. S_phceroji1ioroii coralloides /3. ccesj^itosum Turn. & Borr. Lich. 

 Br. p. Ill ; Sm. Eng. Fl. v. p. 232; Leight. Br. Angi. Lich. p. 8, 

 t. i. f. 2. Coralloides al^inum, Corallince minoris facie Dill. Muse. 

 116, t. 17. f. 34 a, B. 



Though regarded as a variety of S. coralloides, this is distinguished by 

 the smaller and densely coespitose thallus, the fastigiate efibriUose 

 branches, and the chemical reactions, though that with K is but little 

 visible in darker-coloured thalli. It is usually pulvinate, and even when 

 best developed scarcely an inch in height, frequently glaucous towards the 

 apices and lurid near the base of the branches, occasionally reddish, 

 .suffused on the surface with peroxide of iron. The apothecia are less 

 regularly globose than in the preceding species, the fertile branches being 

 more or less protruded. It is most fi-equently sterile. The spermogones 

 are common, with spermatia oblongo-cylindrical, very minute, 0,003 mm. 

 long, about 0,001 mm. thick. 



Hab. On mossy (also naked) rocks and boulders in upland, subalpine, 

 and alpine situations. — Distr. General and common in the hilly and 

 mountainous tracts of Great Britain and Ireland, reaching to the highest 

 summits of the Scottish Grampians. — B. M : Ardingly Rocks, Sussex ; 

 Hay Tor and Lustleigh Cleeve, Dartmoor, S. Devon : near Liskeard, 

 Cornwall ; Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire ; Craigforda, near Oswestry, 

 Shropshire ; Rhewgreidden, Merionethshire ; Snowdon, CarnaiTonshire ; 

 Island of Anglesea ; Helsby, Cheshire ; Farndale, Yorkshire ; Egleston 

 and Teesdale, Durham ; Ennerdale, Cumberland ; the Cheviots, Xorlh- 

 umberland. New Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire : Ben Lomond, Dum- 

 bartonshire ; Craig CalUach, Ben Lawers, near Crieff, and Loch Erich t, 

 Perthshire ; Clova Mts., Forfarshire ; Craig Coinnoch, Glen Callater, 

 Loch-na-gar and Ben-naboord, Braemar, Aberdeenshire : Ben Nevis, 

 Inverness-shire : Culbin, Forres, Elginshire ; hUls of Applecro=s, Ross- 

 shii'e : near Lairg, Sutherlandshire. Killarney, co. Kerry ; Malin Head, 

 CO. Antrim : Connemara, co. Galway. 



