Stirton. — Lichens of Province of Wellington. 239 



filiform, densely matted together at their thickened apices ; asci pyriform, 

 lower extremity attenuated and easily detached, walls composed of a double 

 hyaline membrane, with a broad intervening space resembling — in this respect — 

 the epi spore in L. sanguinaria ; spores large, four, six, or eight, oblong- 

 cylindrical, multiseptate, with longitudinal septa. 



A remarkable phenomenon is seen in a microscopical preparation of this 

 lichen of some months' standing, viz., filaments are seen arising from many 

 detached spores — first, from the extremities ; second, from the septa, or in a 

 line with them. Whether this is the result of germination I cannot determine, 

 as I have very few apothecia left and do not care to destroy more until I see 

 whether it is possible to secure other specimens. 



A very distinct and curious lichen. 



On bark of trees, Tinakori Hills, Wellington, 



Lecidea insidens, Stirton. 



Thallus white, smooth, investing the leaves of Dicranum menziesii with a 

 continu-ous layer, to which, also, the apothecia are attached by a central 

 point ; apothecia reddish brown, rugose, plane, surrounded by a smooth 

 prominent border of the same colour j hypothecium pale red, grumous ; spores 

 eight, colourless, spherical, muralilocular ; paraphyses discrete. 



The spores are muraliloculai', and not merely coarsely granular, while their 

 outline, when free, is in the great majority of cases circular, although a few 

 are to be seen somewhat oblong. The paraphyses are thickened at their 

 apices, where they are of a brown colour and matted together. 



Wainuiomata, Wellington. 



Lecidea implicata, Stirton. 



Thallus white, smooth, thin, glaucous, rimulose (K — C — ); apothecia large, 

 sessile, flat or somewhat convex, pale buff colour, pruinose, rugose, border 

 smooth, somewhat inflexed ; paraphyses distinct, filiform, densely matted 

 together, and giving off lateral filaments ; hypothecium yellowish brown ; 

 spores eight, colourless, elliptical, large, coarsely granular. Disk of apothecia 

 rendered slightly darker by K, but not red. This lichen has a proper margin, 

 and as the apothecium is attached by a broad central basis, the thalline 

 receptacle is seen covering it and the unattached portion, but ceases consider- 

 ably below the proper margin. Spores "043 x •021mm. 



On bark of trees, Karori Hills, Wellington. 



Lecidea contigua, Fr. 



A curious form growing on earth. The apothecia are sessile, and arranged 

 in beautiful concentric rings ; the border sharply defined and flat, being set at 

 an angle to the surface — a disposition seen in a certain proportion of New 



