OF FILAMENTOUS, FRUTICULOSE, AND FOLIACEOUS LICHENS. 247 
the thallus is that of P. stellaris. The spermogones are also those of the latter 
species; they are here brown and punctiform, rather than papilleeform however. 
Specigs 9. P. obscura, Fr., 
Occurring in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. This species, in regard to both 
its thallus and spermogones, is intermediate between P. stellaris and P. pulveru- 
lenta ; and it is frequently mistaken for one or other of these species. The sper- 
mogones, however, are rather those of P. pulverulenta than of P. stellaris. They 
are small warts or tubercles, generally of the colour of the thallus, scattered 
sometimes about the centre, sometimes about the periphery, of the thallus. The 
internal tissue is whitish ; the cavity is divided into sinuous compartments, as 
in P. ciliaris. The sterigmata are longish, and composed of numerous short 
thick-walled cellules or articulations. The spermatia have always appeared to 
me rod-shaped or ellipsoid ; TuLAsNE describes them as almost ovoid, and KorBER 
as “eirundlich,” They are in all cases very minute,—their average length being 
sath to woth. 
Specimen 1.—On the trunks of trees under Dunscombe’s Wood, Cork; coll. 
CarroLtu. The ends of the lacinize are frequently converted into irregular wart- 
Jike bullosities, over which are studded. black or brown punctiform immersed 
bodies, somewhat irregular in shape, which have quite the aspect of spermogones. 
They are really, however, lecidine apothecia, containing 8-spored thecz, about 
sth long and ath broad. The spores are simple, ellipsoid, zath long, and sath 
broad, pale-brown or yellow, full of oil globules of every size, which oil globules 
also abound in the thecal protoplasm. For this parasite, I propose, provisionally 
only, the name Lecidea obscuroides. The apothecia, which are at first round and 
immersed, ultimately become more superficial and saucer-shaped. 
On specimens of var. leprosa (Hepp. exs. 65), [a form in which the thallus is 
almost absent, or is leprose, from Morchone, Braemar (on trees), | there is a para- 
sitic Sphwria, which also closely resembles spermogones. It occurs as small black 
points on the leprose thallus, external to the apothecia. 
Specimen 2.—LEtGutTon exs. 49; on old bark, near Shrewsbury, associated with 
P. pulverulenta; bears apothecia. There are only two spermogones in the specimens 
in my copy. The spermatia are jamth long, and sath broad, sub-ellipsoid or 
rod-shaped. 
Specimen 3.—Near Meleund Castle, Forfarshire ; coll. A. Croan, 1854; with 
apothecia and spermogones: old wall near Rescobie, Forfarshire, July 1853; coll. 
— Croat (sub nom. Parmelia cycloselis, Ach.\, with apothecia. The spermogones 
are scattered about the ends of the laciniz as small, prominent, obtuse, deep- 
brown warts, in some of which there is a distinct ostiole. 
Specimen 4.—HeEpp. exs. 183, associated with Lecanora subfusca; on the bark 
. of old poplars and other trees. The spermogones are distinct, brown tubercles, 
