THAMNOLIA. | SIPHULEI. 185 
cortical layer separates it from the former. The apothecia have been 
described by-some authors as similar to those of Roccella, and by others 
to those of Cladonia, but both are apparently erroneous. 
1. T. vermicularis Scher. Enum. (1850) p. 248, t. ix. f£. 7.— 
Thallus prostrate, ascending or erect, simple or bifurcate, smooth 
or longitudinally rugulose, somewhat dispersed or stipitate, chalky- 
white or whitish (K-+yellow): apothecia unknown.—Mudd, Man. 
p. 638; Cromb. Lich. Brit. p. 23; Leight. Lich. Fl. p. 83, ed. 3, p. 75. 
—Cladonia vermicularis Sm. Eng. Fl. v. p. 234; Mudd, Brit. Clad. 
p. 34. Cenomyce? vermicularis Hook. Fi. Scot. ii. p. 65. Cerania 
vermicularis Gray, Nat. Arr. i, p. 418. Lichen vermicularis Sw. in 
Linn. fil. Meth. Muse. (1781) p. 119; Dicks. Crypt. fase. ii. 6. 6. 
f. 10; With. Arr. ed. 3, iv. p. 41; Eng. Bot. t, 2024.—Brit. vs, : 
Cromb. n. 13. 
Easily recognized by the form and habit of the thallus, somewhat 
resembling small white worms, whence its trivial name. The stipites are 
simple, but sometimes more or less shortly branched. The apothecia 
have not yet been certainly detected; for in the absence of any fertile 
specimen it is very doubtful whether the “tubercules” figured by 
ickson, J. ¢., corresponding to those described by Swartz, be really the 
fructification. Massalongo, Flora, 1856, p. 234, and Fries fil. Lich. Arct. 
p. 161, represent the apothecia as being Cladonieine, but this is still very 
doubtiul. The spermogones 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 0,001 mm. thick. Qn the thallus 
occasionally are found two parasites, Microthelia vermicularia Linds., and 
Endocarpon Crombiet Mudd, both of which are evidently fungi. 
Hab. ‘On the ground among mosses and heaths in subalpine and alpine 
regions.— Distr. Very local and rare on the mountains of N. Wales and 
N. England ; general and plentiful on all the higher Grampians and the 
N. Highlands of Scotland; not seen in Ireland—B.M.: Cader Idris, 
Merionethshire ; Skiddaw, Cumberland.. Ben Lawers, Craig Calliach, 
and Ben Vrackie, Perthshire ; Clova Mts. and Canlochan, Forfarshire ; 
Lochnagar, Morrone, Glen Candlic, Ben-naboord, and Cairntoul, Braemar, 
Aberdeenshire; Ben Nevis, Inverness-shire; Ben Luighal, Sutherland- 
shire; Hills of Applecross, Ross-shire. 
Var. 3. taurica Scher.'Enum. (1850) p. 244.—-Thallus ventri- 
coso-subulate, suberect, recurved, and cornute at the apices, often 
divergently branched, the branches cornute and subulate.-—Cromb. 
Journ. Bot. 1885, p. 195.—Lichen tauricus Wulf. in Jacq. Coll. ii. 
(1788) p. 177, t. 12. f. 2. 
Differs 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 by Nylander, Lich. Scand. p. 68, it occurs spermogoniiferous. 
Hab. On the ground in alpine places.—Disty. Extremely local and 
rare, having been found only on one of the N. Grampians, Scotland.— 
B. M.: Near the summit of Cairngorm, Braemar, Aberdeenshire, 
