The English flora - SeaweedAfrica

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156 LICHENES. [Endocarpon.
undoubtedly rank near to Verrucaria, with which Mr. Borrer
unites it ; but then the thallus is in general of a widely different
nature, scaly, coriaceous or foliaceous, not unfrequently peltate
and umbilicated. Some of the species flourish upon constantly
dripping rocks, within the spray of waterfalls, which is contrary
to the habit of Lichens in general ; hence, and on account of the
deeply immersed fructification, the Genus has been considered
to be a connecting link with the Hepaticce, through the Genus
Riccia. M. Fee places it apart from the true Lichens, in a
section which he calls Pseudo-Hepaticce and which he characterizes
by an entirely " globose immersed apothecium and a
coriaceous or foliaceous thaUus." These apothecia are so much
at variance with those of the other foliaceous Lichens, that I
have preferred arranging the Genus next to Verrucaria, although
many of its species have not " the thallus crustaceous, adherent
and amorphous." The attentive student of Nature will meet
with difficulties such as these at every step, in attempting to arrange
her works according to a system of his own.
1. E. minidtum, Ach. {grey cloudy Endocarpon); thallus
foliaceous coriaceous subumbilicated variously and broadly lobed
olive-grey tawny beneath. Schcer. Lich. Helv. p. 59.—«. umbilicatum
; umbilicate simple spreading and lobed. Schcer. Lich.
Helv. p. 59. n.
miniatus, Linn.
112. E. miniatum, Ach. Syn. p. 101
Sp. PI p. 1617. E. Bot. t. 593.-/3.
Lichen
complicalum
; subumbilicate csespitose polyphyllous, the lobes imbricated
erect. Schcer. Lich. Helv. p. 59. n. 113. E. complicatum,
Ach. Syn. p. 10'2 Lichen miniatus, /S. amphihius, With.—
E. Bot. t. 593 ?— y. aquaticum ; ceespitose polyphyllous, the
lobes crowded in the middle convolute, the exterior spreading
and cut. Schcer. Lich. Helv. p. 60. n. 114—E. Weberi, Ach.
Syn. p. 102. Lichen aquaticus, Weis—E. Bot. t. 594.
On rocks. «. On such as are perpendicular and dry. 0. On rocks
suffused with water or within reach of the spray of cascades, y. On stones
or rocks under water, in subalpine rivulets.— I cordially coincide with my
valued friend, the Rev. Mr. Schaerar, in uniting the three species, as these
have been considered, into one ; and indeed, 1 had hinted at the
propriety of doing so, in the Flora Scolica, many years ago. The plant
is most variable, depending for many of its appearances upon moisture
and exposure. When dry, it often assumss a reddish or tawny
hue with a minute powdery covering, especially the var. «. :—but, when
moist, the colour is usually an olive-green.
2. E. Hedwigii, Ach. (Hedwigian Endocarpon); thallus a
subcartilaginous scattered flat somewhat lobed and angled greyish-brown
scale pale at the margin at length blackish fibrillose,
points of the apothecia protruded brownish-black. Ach. Syn.
p. 99. Schcer. Lich. Helv. p. 61. n. 115. Lichen trapeziformis,
Dicks.—E. Bot. t. 595. (3. lachneum; lobes of the thallus aggregated
somewhat imbricated, the margin elevated repando-lobate
waved beneath black and woolly. Ach. Syn. p. 99. E. lack-
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