Howe: American Species of Alectoria 121 



In regard to its distribution, it is quite likely that some of the 

 northernmost records above cited may be erroneous, and refer in 

 reality to the species that follows, which it resembles distinctly 

 more than jubata or implexa. In point of fact the one specimen 

 (NY) I have seen of A. bicolor Berengeriana Mass., suggests 

 a close chalybeiformis relationship. As I have studied these 

 plants it has frequently crossed my mind that bicolor might some- 

 day prove to be the fertile state of chalybeiformis. The latter is 

 not uncommonly found with blackened basal portions, (the two, 

 in fact, are plainly much alike in color) and its more boreal distri- 

 bution is compatible with this idea. I have also wondered 

 whether this theory did not perhaps explain the Tuckerman state- 

 ment. So far as the chemical tests of Nylander and Crombie 

 have weight, it is also suggestive that chalybeiformis and bicolor 

 were given the same reaction, distinguishing the two from the 

 rest of the jubata group. Just as hirta is the sterile, but sorediate 

 condition of Usnea florida (L.) Web., may not chalybeiformis 

 be the soraliate (more rigid) condition of bicolor? With more 

 material of the latter plant for study, I hope to be able to ulti- 

 mately reach a decision of this now circumstantial, yet I feel per- 

 haps not improbable view. 



Note: Alectoria jubata lanestris Ach. Lich. Univ. 593. 1810. 

 Reported from Oregon (Roell), Flora, 72: 262. 1889, and in 

 Newfoundland by Stizenberger, 1. c. 129. I have not seen this 

 form and cannot judge of its importance, it was described as 

 follows " lorulis ramisque prostratis tenerrimis mollissimis impli- 

 cates atris opacis. Habitat in ramis arborum Helvetiae." 



Alectoria nidulifera Nyl. ex Norrl. Flora 33 : 8. 1875. Re- 

 ported from Miquelon island by Arnold (Flora 71: 82. 

 1888). According to Tuckerman, this species is not separable 

 from Alectoria chalybeiformis (see however Bryologist, 14: 37. 

 191 1 ). The original description is as follows: " Thallus olivaceo- 

 spadiceus erectus minusculus ( 1-2-pollicaris, crassitie basi circiter 

 0.5 millim.), patenti-ramosus, sat dense arbusculiformis, ramis 

 subflexuosis, passim sorediosus, sorediis albidis non prominulis, 

 saepius propagula erectula emittentibus indeque spinulosis. Supra 

 truncos pini in Findlandia media frequens (Norrlin)." 



Alectoria (Bryopogon) jubata y. nitidula Th. Fr. Lich. Arctoi. 



