ABROTHALLUS. 



311 



but Tulasne regards them as truly lichenoid from their struc- 

 ture, consistence, duration, and the amyloid nature of some 

 of their tissues, the parenchyma or reproductive organs of 

 the Fungi never striking a blue colour with tincture of 

 iodine. It cannot be denied however that the existence of 

 these reproductive bodies approximates the genera in ques- 

 tion most closely to certain sections of the Eungi ; and we 

 have here another interesting illustration of the affinities 

 between the Lichens and cognate Cryptogamic families. 



The parasitic genera to which we refer are AbrothaUus, 

 Scutula, Celidium, and P/iacopsis. We mention them here, 

 not because they are Angiocarpous Lichens, the reverse 

 being the case, but because they have not yet found an ap- 

 propriate resting-place in classification. 



Genus I. ABROTHALLUS, DNrs* 



Gen. Char. Apothecia burst through the thallus of the lichen, 

 upon which they are parasitic ; at first deplanate, afterwards ge- 

 nerally pulviniform or globose-capitate, blackish, glabrous or fur- 

 furaceous, sessile, becoming free at the circumference, but having 

 no annuliform margin or distinct exciple. Thecae clavate, eight- 



* De Notaris, Mem. della Eeale Accad. delle Sc. di Torino, 2nd series, vol. 

 x. (1849) : and in Giorn. Bot. Ital., fasc. 3, 4 (1846) : Montagne, Ann. des 

 Sc. Nat., 3rd series, vol. x. and xvi. 



