106 LICHENACEI. [SPHZROPHORUS. 
This singular form occurs in compact tufts, sometimes very closely 
appressed to the substratum, 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 N.W. Highlands of Scotland.— 
B. M.: Ben Lawers, Perthshire; Morrone, Braemar, Aberdeenshire ; 
hills of Applecross, Ross-shire. 
3. 8. fragilis Ach. Meth. (1803) p. 185.—Thallus densely caspi- 
tose, sparingly and dichotomously 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, 
Nat. Arr.i. p. 487; Hook. Fl. Scot. ii. p. 67; Cromb. Lich. Brit. 
p- 15; Leight. Lich. Fl. p. 51, ed. 3, p. 49.—Spherophoron coral- 
loides 8. fragile Mudd, Man. p. 264, Lichen fragilis Linn. Sp. Pl. 
(1758) p. 1154; Lightf. Fl. Scot. ii. p. 888 pro parte; Eng. Bot. 
2474. Spherophoron coralloides B. cespitosum Turn. & Borr. Lich, 
Br, p. 111; Sm. Eng. Fl. v. p. 232; Leight. Br. Angi. Lich. p. 8, 
t.i.£2. Coralloides alpinum, Coralline minoris facie Dill. Muse. 
116, t. 17. f. 34, B. 
Though regarded as a variety of S. coralloides, this is distinguished by 
the smaller and densely cespitose thallus, the fastigiate efibrillose 
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 frequently 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, 8S. Devon; near Liskeard, 
Cornwall; Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire ; Craigforda, near Oswestry, 
Shropshire; Rhewgreidden, Merionethshire ; Snowdon, Carnarvonshire ; 
Island of Anglesea; Helsby, Cheshire; Farndale, Yorkshire ; Egleston 
and Teesdale, Durham; Ennerdale, Cumberland ; the Cheviots, North- 
umberland. New Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire; Ben Lomond, Dum- 
bartonshire ; Craig Calliach, Ben Lawers, near Crieff, and Loch Ericht, 
Perthshire; Clova Mts., Forfarshire; Craig Coinnoch, Glen Callater, 
Loch-na-gar and Ben-naboord, Braemar, Aberdeenshire; Ben Nevis, 
Inverness-shire ; Culbin, Forres, Elginshire ; hills of Applecross, Ross- 
shire ; near Lairg, Sutherlandshire. Killarney, co. Kerry; Malin Head, 
co. Antrim ; Connemara, co, Galway. 
