— no- 
that now occupies it, whose shallow bed is but a few feet below the bed of 
the ancient river, a flat rock bottom covered by a few inches of soil. 
Chicago, 111 . 
LICHEN NOTES-No. 1. 
G. K. Merrill. 
Since the publication of Prof. Fink’s paper on Cladonia verticillata 
Hoffm. (Bryologist, 7:6, 1904) several correspondents have enquired con- 
cerning the validity of C. gracilis (L.) Nyl. var. verticillata Fr. as the 
name given to plants of similar appearance in their herbaria. To these we 
will say: the nominations are equivalent and stand for identical forms. 
The synonymy of the plant is a varied one. Called by Hoffman (Deutsch. 
FI. (1796) p. 122) C. pyxidata, *C. verlicillata , that name is retained in the 
works of Floerke, Schaerer, Babington, Coemans, Wainio and others, all of 
whom concede to it specific rank. Elias Fries (Lich. Eur. Ref. (1831) p. 219) 
was first to correlate the plant with C. gracilis , and it is only natural that 
our own Tuckerman, pupil of the great master, and throughout life dominated 
by his teachings, should take the same ground. Such a view is not difficult, 
as all field workers will agree. We often find undoubted C. gracilis prolifer- 
ous from the center of scyphi, and again verifiable C. verticillata with 
elongated podetia and narrowed cups or rarely ascyphiferous forms with 
subulate terminations. In our copy of Macoun’s Canadian Lichens, No. 295, 
this condition of verticillata is beautifully exemplified and furnishes a 
remarkable exhibit of transitional tendencies. Nevertheless C. verticillata is 
sufficiently differentiated from C. gracilis when examined in typical speci- 
mens to be considered distinct. The connecting forms are of no more 
importance than those serving to link other species in the polymorphous pot- 
pourri of the Cladoniaea. 
The chemical test with KHO seems to be without particular value in 
this group. Wainio states that there is no reaction in C. verticillata , and in 
C. gracilis there may or may not be. Leighton declares that no reaction is 
noted with either, while Parrique finds none with C. gracillis chordalis , 
doubtful results with C. gracilis elongata and none with C. verticillata 
with the exception of varieties subcervicornis Wainio and Krempe limber i 
Wainio, both of which owe their separation to this feature. 
Wainio subdivides the verticillata group into three varieties with 
several forms and modifications. Comprehending within the meaning of the 
term variety those forms of closest adherence to the type (varietas constan- 
tior=v.), he uses the word form to define phases of perverse development, 
not self determinative (forma autogenetica inconstans=f.) and modification 
is applied to anamorphic conditions produced through peculiarities of en- 
vironment (modificatio inconstans statione producta=m.) 
Our continental North American representatives so far known are: 
C. verticillata Hoffm. v. evoluta Th. Fr. 
v. evoluta m. phyllocephala Flot. 
