THE BRYOLOGIST. 
Vol. IX. 
March, 1906. 
No. 2. 
FURTHER NOTES ON CLADONIAS. VI. 
Cladonia cariosa. 
Bruce Fink. 
As promised in the last paper of this series (Bryologist, 8 : 3 , 1905 ,) we 
will consider Cladonia cariosa in the present one. And in so doing we shall 
depart somewhat from the views of Wainio regarding species. The method 
of making a specific description stand for a compound conception, such as a 
genus or a subgenus, is manifestly bad and allowable only when our studies 
will not enable us to make a closer analysis. Dr. Wainio has employed the 
method of deliberately recognizing compound species and then adding vari- 
eties which are supposed to cover all known forms, designating the varieties 
by various names prefixed by alpha, beta, etc. After so doing, he fre- 
quently has determined species for the present writer without referring to 
any one of his varieties. This is the case in the present species, the large 
majority of the specimens sent Dr. Wainio being simply returned as Cla- 
donia cariosa. Thus it appears that after devising a uniform and cumber- 
some system, Dr. Wainio has by no means always found it best to follow it in 
the determination of specimens. The present writer has thus far followed 
the plan of the “ Monographia Cladoniarum ' Universalis ” in part, without 
reference to its objectionable features, but working on the supposition all the 
time that there is a real species, often with true varieties. 
Oftentimes the study of our American forms has involved no difficulty, 
since species and vafieties stand out distinctly enough, in other instances no 
varieties being recognized in our area. So no difficulty will arise in the use 
of this series of papers, except perhaps in Cladonia fimbriata and Cladonia 
gracilis , our most difficult species, of which an adequate exposition has not 
yet appeared. Regarding the last species, further study of specimens indi- 
cates that our paper left too much under the specific description. Indeed, it 
now appears plainly enough that Wainio’s so-called variety dilatata is the 
prevailing form, standing at the centre of variation, and that it should stand 
for the species under the name Cladonia gracilis simply. Cladonia fim- 
briata is beyond us for the present, and we can offer no remedy. As to 
Cladonia furcata, it is not so certain whether the first variety, alpha, of 
Wainio’s system, should stand for the species or not, but this seems proba- 
ble. Regarding Cladonia verticillata , the variety evoluta would seem to be 
the species according to its position as assigned by Wainio, and the 
geographical distribution that he gives it as well. But so far as specimens 
seen from our territory are concerned, this is not the case, the plant plainly 
standing as a variety, and the form, with one or two exceptions, ranks as the 
species, as was given in our paper. 
The January Bryologist was issued January 2d, 1906. 
