LICHENS AND FUNGI OF OTAGO, NEW ZEALAND. 411 



fissured. As in A . Curreyi, the constituents of the hymenium are indistinct and 

 closely united. The paraphyses contain much brown colouring matter about 

 their tips, which are intimately agglutinated. The hymenial lichenine gives a 

 blue reaction with iodine. The spores (fig. 6) are narrowly ellipsoid, almost fusi- 

 form ; simple ; sometimes with a double contour {b) ; colourless; -00075" long, and 

 •00025" broad. 



The genus Abrothallus (which is properly to be considered only a group of lower, 

 parasitic, athalline Lecidece), and the two species above recorded, are new to the 

 New Zealand Flora. 



From their minute size and inconspicuous character, the plants composing 

 the genus in question are apt to be overlooked by all but the practised Lichenolo- 

 gist. From what I have myself seen, I have no reason to suppose them rarer 

 in New Zealand than in Britain ; and I have therefore to recommend their being 

 carefully looked for by local Botanists on the thallus of the higher or foliaceous 

 Lichens, especially in the genera Parmelia and Stictina. 



3. Melanospora Otagensis, nov. sp. 



(Lindsay " On a New Melanospora from Otago, N.Z.," Trans. Bot. Soc. Edin., vol. viii. p. 426, 



Plate V. figs. 7-12.) 



Thallus sub-determinate, tartareous, thick, of cretaceous texture and chalk- 

 white colour, sub-farinose, smoothish, sub-areolate. Apothecia vary in form from 

 lirellseform (Opegraphoid) to angulose-patelkieform (Lecidine) : most usually they 

 are short, sub- oblong, broadish pseudo-lirellse, generally straight, black, simple, 

 solitary and scattered, sub-sessile, base only sub-immersed. Epithecium rimseform 

 or exposed, flat or concave ; margin distinct, thickish, generally entire, sometimes 

 more or less involute on the disk. Spores abundant and distinct, brown, 1-septate; 

 about -0006" long, and -0003" broad ; oval-oblong, constricted or not at the septum, 

 sometimes figure-8 shaped or solseform. 



Habitat on columnar basalt, Greenisland Bluff; associated with a sterile 

 condition of Pertusaria velata, Turn. This species (which has been described from 

 an imperfect specimen — the only one in my herbarium) appears closely allied to 

 the British M. cerebrina, DC. (Mudd, "Manual," 226, E. Bot., PI. 2632, fig. 1), 

 so far as I can judge from figures and descriptions only. The family or tribe to 

 which the genus Melanospora (Mudd) belongs, viz., the Xylographidei, Nyl., as 

 well as the genus itself, and M. Otagensis, are alike new to the New Zealand Flora* 



4. Lecidea Otagensis, Nyl., Licb. N.Z., 255 (figs. 7, 8). 



On stockyard fences of " Goai" timber ; in the Bush, ravines of the Chain 

 Hills, Greenisland: associated with Arthonia excedens, Nyl. 



* Vide " List of Otago Lichens," pp. 356-8. 

 VOL. XXIV. PART II. 5 T 



