264 Transactions.— Botany. 
the edge of the ultimate segments, usually two apart—one at each angle, 
sometimes three on a broad, and one only central on a narrow, segment ; 
at first light brown, closed, with a finely puberulent covering, afterwards 
the minute ostiole opens, end the black shining capitulum is protruded. 
Sometimes the thallus is largely coloured bright red on both surfaces, as 
if red ink had been splashed over it; this colour is permanent. 
Hab. On trunks of Fagus solandri, forests near Norsewood, County of 
Waipawa ; 1880-84: W.C. 
Obs. I have known this pretty species for many years, but always (until 
this year) barren. Specimens that I had long ago sent to England in that 
state, were supposed to be small ones of S. australe, Laur. (S. compressum, 
Ach.), but I never could bring myself to believe it, the difference being so great 
between them, especially when closely compared together in a living state. 
It is, however, very rarely found in fruit, like some of its European congeners. 
2. Spherophoron (?) stereocauloides, Nyl. 
Plant ascending, bushy, diffuse, 8-10 inches diameter; height 4-5 
inches; main stems very stout, sub-cylindrical, 4 inch circumference near 
base, 6-8 springing separately from one root-stock or thick and flat broad 
dise 1 inch diameter; spreading, prostrate, naked below and adhering by 
fresh large rooting discs; much and thickly branched above, transversely 
and finely fissured; branches flattish, sub-flabellate, and dichotomous, 
naked here and there on upper and under surfaces but not on the sides ; 
general colour greyish-white, stems more white with a light pinkish tinge ; 
branchlets numerous crowded, densely covered with many short compound 
spurs or branchlets, composed of cylindrical and sub-angular obtuse and 
clavate fibrils that are patent sessile and fascicled, and times coalescent, 
bearing at tips small black circular soredia. Apothecia large, globular, 1-8 
lines diameter on tips of branches, mostly solitary sometimes 2-8 together, 
much broader than branch or peduncle, which is naked, sub-terete and 
lacunose, 1-2 lines long; receptacle cernuous, smooth and naked or slightly 
lacunose on the outside, bursting irregularly, containing numerous globose 
black rough spores entangled in a mass of thin flat hairs; ‘‘ diameter of 
spores ‘01 mm " (Dr. Knight). SpA. robustum, Col. 
Hab. Stony declivities in hilly forests, west side of highway, Seventy- 
mile Bush, County of Waipawa; 1882: W.C. And on east slopes of 
Ruahine Range (same county): 1884: Mr. A. Hamilton. 
Obs. This fine Lichen has given Dr. Knight and myself some study 
and research. Believing it to be another new species of this small and 
peculiar genus, I early referred a specimen of it to Dr. Knight’s superior 
judgment, who agreed with me that it was a new species, and closely allied 
to Spherophoron stereocauloides of Nylander. Subsequently, however, on my 
