THAMNOLIA.] SlPflULEI. 185 



cortical layer separates it from the former. The apothecia have been 

 described by some authors as similar to those of Rvccella, and by others 

 to those of Cladonia, but both are apparently erroneous. 



1. T. vermicularis Sclioer, Enum. (1850) p. 243, t. ix. f. 7. — 

 Thallus prostrate, ascending or erect, simple or bifurcate, smooth 

 or longitudinally rugulose, somewhat dis])crsed or stipitate, chalky - 

 white or whitish (K + yellow) : apothecia unknown — !Mudd, Man. 

 p. 08 ; Cromb. Lich. Brit. p. 23 ; Leight. Lich. Fl. p. 83, ed. 3, p. 75. 

 — Cladonia verniicularis !Sra. Eiig. El. v. p. 234 ; Mudd, Erit. Clad. 

 p. 34. Ccnoniyce'i vermicularis Hook. El. Scot. ii. p. (55. Cerania 

 vennicidaris (-Tray, Nat. Arr. i. p. 413. Lichen vermicularis 8w. in 

 Linn. 111. Meth. Muse. (1781) p. 119; Dicks. Crypt, fasc. ii. t. 6. 

 f. 10 ; With. Arr. ed. 3, iv. p. 41 ; Eng. Bot. t. 2024:.— Brit. Exs. : 

 Cromb. n. 13. 



Easily recognized by the form and habit of the thallus, somewhat 

 resembling small white worms, Avheuce its tiivial name. The stipites are 

 simple, but sometimes more or less shortly branched. The apothecia 

 h.ve not yet been certainly detected ; for in the absence of any fertile 

 specimen it is very duubtful whether the " tubercules " tigured by 

 Dickson, /. c, corresponding to those described by Swartz, be really the 

 fructitication. JMassalungo, Plora, l8o6, p. 234, and Fries til. Lich. Arct. 

 p. IGl, represent the apothecia as being Cladonieine, but this is still very 

 doubtful. The sperniogones are also very rare. They are somewhat 

 large, lateral, margined by the thallus, entirely white or colourless, with 

 spermatia 0,004-5 mm. long, scarcely U,001 mm. thick. On the thallus 

 occasionally are found two parasites, Microthelia vermirularia Linds., and 

 Endocarpon Crumhiei Mudd, both of which are evidently fungi. 



Hab. On the ground among mosses and heaths in subalpine and alpine 

 regions. — Disfr. Very local and rare on the mountains of X. Wales and 

 N. England ; general and plentiful on all the higiier (^rampians and the 

 N. Highlands of Scotland ; not seen in Ireland. — B. M. : Cader Idris, 

 Merionethshire ; Skiddaw, (.'umberland. Ben Lawers, Craig Calhach, 

 and Ben Vrackie, Perthshire ; Clo^a Mts. and Canlochan, Forfarshire ; 

 Lochnagar, Morrone, Glen Candlic, Beu-naboord, and Cairntoul, Braemar, 

 Aberdeenshire; Ben Xe vis, Inverness-shire; Ben Lu'ghal, Sutherland- 

 shire ; Hills of Applecross, Boss-shire. 



Vur. /). taurica Schter. Enum. (lS50) p. 244. — Thallus ventri- 

 coso-subulate, suberect, recurved, and eornute at the apices, often 

 divergently branched, the branches eornute and subulate. — Cromb. 

 Journ. Hot. 1885, p. 195. — Lichen tauricus Wulf. in Jac({. Coll. ii. 

 (1788) p. 177, t. 12. f. 2. 



DiflFers in the more turgid and erect stipites, and in the form of their 

 apices. Like the type it is never found with apothecia, though, as 

 observed bj' Xylander, Lich. Scand. p. 68, it occurs spermogoniiferous. 



Hab. On the ground in alpine places. — Distr. Extremely local and 

 rare, having been found only on one of the N. Grampians, Scotland. — ■ 

 B. M. : Near the summit of Cairngorm, Braemar, Aberdeenshire. 



