THE BRYOLOGIST. 
Vol VII. November, 1904. No. 6. 
FURTHER NOTES ON CLADONIAS.-IV. 
Cladonia verticillata. 
Bruce Fink. 
Tuckerman included Cladonia verticillata as a variety of Cladonia 
gracilis , but it is apparent enough that the plants that Tuckerman included 
in the variety are quite distinct from the others commonly placed under the 
species last named above. Cladonia gracilis is an exceedingly variable 
lichen, and it is doubtless true, as first appeared to the present writer after 
studying the forms found in northern Minnesota several years ago, that 
some European lichenists have carried the splitting process to extremes in 
their disposition of this species. .The great degree of variation in the species 
is further shown in some very interesting forms that have come to me in the 
last few months, collected in New England by Mr. G. K. Merrill, and espe- 
cially in that famous collecting ground in the White Mountains including 
k ‘ Tuckerman’s Ravine.” Also Mrs. Carolyn W. Harris has found some 
interesting forms in the Adirondacks. 
But it seems best in disposing of Cladonia verticillata and Cladonia 
gracilis to dispose of the former species first as it is much easier to under- 
stand. and a presentation of figures and descriptions of the latter will form 
the basis of the next paper of this series. During the summer just passed, 
Dr. E. L. Harper, of Chicago, obtained some excellent photographs of lich- 
ens on Isle Royale in Lake Superior, and among the number were four 
or five of the two closely related species which are to receive attention in the 
present and the next following paper. I am under obligations to Dr. Har- 
per for the photographs from which the illustrations in the present paper are 
taken. As readers of this series of papers are doubtless aware, it is not easy 
to bring out the characters of Cladonias in illustrations, but if the cuts can 
be made to bring out what is shown in the photographs, we shall succeed 
better than formerly. Then in the paper on Cladonia gracilis, we will be 
fortunate in being able to use photographs taken by Mr. Merrill from plants 
found in the region which has thus far proved richest in forms of Cladonia 
gracilis. In the present paper is given a most excellent likeness of 
Cladonia glacilis dilatata , Plate XI, Fig. 3, from a photograph by Dr. Har- 
per, the object being to bring out the differences between the two closely 
related species. 
Again we are able to have Dr. Wainio’s view of a large number of speci- 
mens of the two species to be considered in this and the next paper. This is 
particularly fortunate regarding the various forms of Cladonia gracilis , the 
species to be disposed of in the present paper being far more easily under- 
stood as soon as one learns to distinguish it from the species named above. 
The September Bryologist was issued September 2d, 1004. 
