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ture of the apothecium is really the same with that of members of the 
Acolium-group with accessory thalline exciple ; and nothing is left to dis- 
tinguish the type but its fruticulose thallus. As respects this thallus, the 
step from it is possibly longer than it might be to the distinctly lobed 
though still crustaceous fronds of Acoliwm Californicum: but the con- 
gruity of the fruit of these lichens is clear; and disposes, for us, of the 
question of their relationship. 
But if Acolium tends, in one direction, to illustrate a modification of 
structure which finds its highest expression in Acroscyphus, no less evi- 
dent, in another, is its exceedingly close relation to Caliciwm. This genus, 
as constituted by Persoon, and accepted in the separate publications of 
Acharius, asin those of Turner and Borrer, and of Scherer (Spicil.) included 
all the generic Calicieine types (as represented in Europe) here considered. 
Later however, in a final review of these plants, printed in the Stockholm 
transactions (1815-1817) the Swedish lichenographer distinguished a 
remarkable biatoroid group (Contocybe) from the other, more commonly 
lecideoid, stipitate species; and sought also to separate those with ‘ ses- 
sile apothecia’ (Cyphelium, Ach.) but the latter construction, in which 
normally sessile Calicia were not a little confused with subsessile condi- 
tions of stipitate species, failed of recognition. 
Fries, who accepted Comiocybe, had relegated Calicium turbinatum to 
the Fungi (Sphinctrina, 8. O. V.) but restored it, as an appendix to 
Calicium, in his Lichenographia; where the truly sessile species were 
presented, though not wholly without admixture of foreign elements, as a 
separate section; equivalent, or nearly so, to Calicium, sect. Acolium, 
Ach. Syn. Further advancement might well be anticipated for the latter 
section, especially as represented by C. tigillare ; and this species was 
the type of the very confused Acolium, Fée (Ess. p. 28, t. 3, f.15). In 
his Flora Scanica (1835) Fries also fully recognized the distinctness of 
the sessile from the stipitate Calicia, but appended the former to his 
Trachylia ; the type of which (LZ. #. p. 402) had been the (arthoniine) 
T. arthonioides, and the final construction of which (Summ. Veg. Scand. 
p. 118, 1846) was still embarrassed. De Notaris, the next year (Giorn. 
Bot. Ital. 1847) first gave definite position to the group in his Acoliwm ; 
adopted since by the majority of lichenists. 
Near as is Coniocybe to Calicium (§ Cyphelium) Sphinctrina is perhaps 
still nearer; being scarcely separable indeed, — if we decline to recognize 
any absolute distinction in the originally closed exciple,— except by the 
parasitical nature and consequent, athalline character of most of these 
plants: a difference which disappears in S. microcephala (Sm.) (S. Anglica, 
Nyl.) and is admitted to be insufficient in Acolium stigonellum. But the 
other extreme of Caliciei becomes more distinct from the center. In 
Acolium the stipe is absolutely deficient, and this evidence of degenera- 
tion disappearing, unmistakable indications of a higher tone of structure, 
significant even of Lecanoreine analogies, supervene; and the family, 
