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LICHEN NOTES No. 14 . 
Three New Forms of Calicium. 
G. K. Merrill. 
Calicium obscurum, Merrill, sp. nov. 
Thallus indistinguishable. Apothecia scattered, rather slender, aver- 
aging 0.8 mm. in height, variously directed, straight or flexuous, cylin- 
drical, brown or brownish-black, cortex commonly opaque, but sometimes 
sub-shining, rather abruptly expanding into a turbinate capitulum which in 
the younger states is flat-topped or concave, but finally when the extrusion 
of the sporal mass takes place becoming somewhat convex, sporal mass 
umbrine or fuscescent, epruinose for the most part, but sometimes grayish- 
suffused just below the capitulum. Spores spherical or very slightly elon- 
gated, simple, walls distinct, pale, but not hyaline, 4-6/^in diameter. Two 
forms of algae are found, Cystococcus , and a cylindrical articulated form that 
I am unable to name. 
On dead Polyporei, trunks of decadent young pines in shaded woods. 
Rockland, Knox Co., Maine, Sept. 5, 1909. 
The stipes arise indifferently from both surfaces of the host, but are 
most abundant near the extreme edge of the upper. C. obscurum seems 
referable to Nylander’s subgenus Allodium Flora, 1880, p. 392, but this 
conclusion is made tentative by the presence of two algal symbionts. The 
Calicium referred to by Willey in his Enumeration of New Bedford Lichens, 
p. 34, as found on a Polyporus on Hemlock Spruce, and identified by Tuck- 
erman as C. trichiale may possibly prove to be identical with the present. 
The plant here described may be distinguished from C. trichiale however, 
by its lack of thallus, its two forms of algae, pale spores, almost entire 
absence of pruina on stipes and capitulum, and the differences of stipital 
coloration. 
Calicium minutissimum Merrill, sp. nov. sub-genus Stenocybe. 
Thallus spreading, both hypophloeous and epiphloeous, manifested to 
the eye as a pale determinate white-edged area of lighter color than the bark 
surrounding. Apothecia scattered, stipes minute, commonly less than 
0.5 mm. in height, erect, usually straight, cylindrical, blackish, cortex 
opaque or faintly shining, rather gradually dilating into a truncated obconi- 
cal capitulum, the margin indexed and disk depressed. Spores sub-fusiform, 
sometimes simple, one — two— but typically three-septate, usually slightly 
constricted at the septa, brownish or livid-brownish, 14-30 X4-7/C No algae 
were detected in either stipes or thallus. The epithallus appears to be 
without structure. A faint reaction noted on application of potassic hydrate. 
On smooth bark of young oaks, summit of Mt. Battie, Camden, Knox 
Co., Maine, Aug. 22, 1909, G. K. Merrill. 
From the minuteness of the stipes the plant is scarcely distinguishable 
except to acute vision. Allied to C. byssaceum Fr. but sufficiently differ- 
enced by the determinate thallus and typically three-septate spores, 
Calicium Curtisii Tuck. var. splendidula Merrill, Lichenes Exsiccati No. 
24, June, 1909. 
