THE BRYOLOGIST. 
Voi.. VIII. 
May, 1905. 
No. 
3 - 
FURTHER NOTES ON CLADONI AS. V. 
Cladonia gracilis. 
Bruce Fink. 
As promised in the last paper of this series we will consider in the pres- 
ent paper Cladonia gracilis. The species has been greatly abused in 
being subjected to “the splitting process” by European workers, but 
Wainio has succeeded in bringing order out of the chaos of names, and one 
who has learned to use his Monograph finds little trouble in applying his 
revision to our American forms of the species. The present writer thought 
years ago that Cladonia gracilis was the most difficult of all our Cladonias, 
but further acquaintance with Cladonia fimbriata gives that species first 
place as a difficult one. And it now appears plain enough that much of the 
difficulty with Cladonia gracilis was really due to an attempt to follow 
Tuckerman, who included Cladonia verticillata , disposed of in our last 
paper, with the present species. Then, too, Cladonia gracilis symphy- 
carpia Tuck, has been parceled out by Wainio to Cladonia subcariosa and 
Cladonia cariosa. Tuckerman gave his variety this description, “ cups 
obsolete from the first, apothecia confluent,” and this was wholly inadequate 
so that no one could conceive what he meant without seeing the specimens. 
This Wainio has done and has no doubt placed them where they belong. 
Indeed, it is apparent enough now, after Wainio has done the work, that 
Tuckerman’s brief diagnosis would apply to a form of Cladonia cariosa or 
Cladonia subcariosa as well as to one of the species treated in this paper. 
Is it any wonder that we could never understand Cladonia gracilis 
while attempting to follow Tuckerman in placing forms of at least four 
species here ? And, though our forms of Cladonia cariosa and closely 
related species should not be confused with Cladonia gracilis , we will con- 
sider these plants in the next paper of this series and attempt to remove 
whatever confusion exists by as .good descriptions and figures as we can 
produce. 
In treating the present species, the writer considers himself exceedingly 
fortunate in being able to see the specimens collected by Mr. G. K. Merrill, 
on Mount Washington, N. H., during the last summer, and in being able to 
present figures from photographs taken by Mr. Merrill, from specimens col- 
lected in this best known American collecting ground for the species. 
Indeed, but for the keen-eyed work of this collector, we should have to pre- 
sent figures made partly from European specimens, and we are under great 
obligations for both the specimens and the photographs. 
Before passing to the descriptions of the various forms of the species, it 
should be stated that the eastern forms are as a rule longer and more slen- 
The March BRYOLOGIST was issued March 7th, 1904. 
