THE BRYOLOGIST 
Vol. XVII November, 1914 No. 6 
NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF THE GENUS RAM ALINA. — VHI 
R. Heber Howe, Jr. 
Ramalina usnea (L.) Fr. 
Synonymy: Lichen usnea Linn., Mantissa I: 13 1. 1767. 
ParmeUa usneoides Ach., Meth. Lich. 270. 1803. 
Ramalina usneoides Fr., Lich. Europ. reform. Add. 468. 1831. 
Type: In the Linnean Herbarium, Burlington House, London, fide author. 
Type locality: “Indiae Or. Ins. Helenae, Madagascar, Martinicae.” 
Original description: “filamentous pendulus compressus ramosus laevis,” 
1. c. 
Figure: PI. XII, f. 2. (Dill. Hist. Muse. Pl. 14,/. 13 & PL 34,/. jo.) 
Diagnosis: Thallus pendulous , two-edged, striate, apothecia rparginal, 
spores straight. 
Description: Thallus pendulous (max. lgth. 30 cm.), virescent; cortex 
glabrous, white-striate; laciniae much branched (max. width 4 mm.), two- 
edged, margins sometimes digitate, apices attenuate. Apothecia not uncommon, 
marginal, subpedicellate, convex, emarginate (max. diam. 3 mm.), disk buff. 
Spores fusiform, straight or substraight, 1 M. 
Contingent phases: (a) Laciniae spirally contorted. 
(b) Laterally digitate. 
Substrata: On trees. 
Distribution: Not uncommon in 
the sub-Austral zone from Florida to 
Mexico. 
Stations: Florida: Ponce, Palma 
Sola, Daytona, New Smyrna; Mexico: 
Las Palmas; Jamaica; Santo Domingo. 
OBSERVATIONS: This easily recog- Fig. 1. — Distribution of Ramalina usnea' 
nized species, always to be distinguished 
from an Usnea by its two-edged, non chondroid-axial laciniae, occurs along the 
southern border of our area. The original Linnean spelling was modified by 
Acharius and under the present rules of nomenclature should be reverted to again. 
Exsiccati: No. 206. Pringle, Mex. Lich. fide Merrill. 
No. 236. Merrill, Lich. Exsic., Daytona, Fla., Feb. 15, 1911. 
G. K. Merrill. 
Ramalina usnea var. usneoidella Nyl. 
Synonymy: Ramalina usnea [ eoides ] var. usneoidella Nyl., Recog. mono. 
Ram. 122. [24.] 1870. 
The September number of The Bryologist was published October 14, 1914. 
