142 



p, 221) places this red-fruited species in the subsection Stra- 

 mineo-flavidae, on account of its yellowish color, it is very dif- 

 ferent from the other members of this group. In the writer's 

 opinion it is distinct enough to be made the type of a new sub- 

 section, for which (as indicated above) the name Leporinae is 

 proposed. In this subsection the primary thallus, which is 

 foliose in character, is short-lived and difficult to demonstrate. 

 The podetia, on the other hand, which are copiously branched, 

 continue growing independently for a long time, although the 

 older parts gradually die and decay. In general habit, there- 

 fore, the Leporinae resemble the Cladinae and the Unciales. . 



The podetia of C. leporina may occur singly but usually 

 grow in irregular and intricate colonies. Robust examples may 

 attain a length of 7-8 cm. and a diameter of 3-5 mm. in the 

 larger axes, but many of the podetia are shorter and more 

 slender. They are destitute of squamules and of cups and branch 

 repeatedly by dichotomies or by whorls of three or more, and 

 there is a marked difiference in diameter between the ultimate 

 branchlets, and the axes of higher rank. Most of the axils are 

 closed but some are open, and lateral perforations are not un- 

 common. In the younger parts of the podetia the cortex, which 

 is never sorediose, is continuous but usually presents a more or 

 less rugulose appearance. This becomes much more marked in 

 the older parts, where the surface is deeply and irregularly 

 wrinkled. The internal surface of the podetia, owing to the 

 absence of a cartilaginous layer, is distinctly arachnoid. C. 

 leporina is negative with KOH but gives a yellow reaction with 

 paraphenylenediamine. This color, however, does not deepen 

 to orange or red. 



According to Eckfeldt (see Britton, 3) C. leporina has been 

 collected at Atco in Camden County. In the absence of speci- 

 mens from this locality the station at Cape May Point is the 

 most northern station that can be definitely cited at the present 

 time. In the southern parts of the United States, from North 

 Carolina southward to Florida and westward to Texas, the 

 species is abundant, especially in sandy areas near the coast; 

 and it is known also from Cuba. 



Section 2. Ochrophaeae 

 Subsection 1. Unciales 

 14. Cladonia uncialis (L.) Web. (25, p. 92). Atlantic: 



