S 6
CRYPTOGAMIA Algce.
Gen. Char. Seeds in black, linear, sessile, simple or
branched, bordered clefts, in an uninterrupted crust.
Spec. Char. Crust thin, membranous, shining, smooth,
greenish-white, bordered with black. Clefts immersed,
smooth, linear, slightly zigzag, simple, or
much branched in a parallel direction.
Syn. Opegrapha scripta. Ach. Meth. 30.
Lichen scriptus. Ach. Prod. 25. Linn. Sp. PI. 1606.
Buds. 523. With. v. 4. 4. Hull. 284. Relfu 446.
Sibth. 316. Abbot. 257. Lightf. 800.
Lichenoides crusta tenuissima, peregrinis velut litteris
inscripta. Bill, in Raii Syn. 71. Muse. 125. t. 18.
/ • 1 ? _ _ _ _ _
XN the history of the genus Opegrapha this species, under
which most of the rest have been confounded, deserves peculiar
notice. It is not uncommon on the smooth barks 6f trees
in woods, but does not obtrude itself upon every rugged exposed
stump in the highways like some others.
The crust is broad, continued, thin, even, smooth and
polished, of a greenish or brownish white, with a blackish
edge. Fructification scattered, so much resembling Hebrew
or Chinese characters that one is disposed to think some antiquary
of quick genius and fertile fancy might read in them
legends of other times, and perhaps compose a fairy ogham or
alphabet by their means. To the botanist their generally numerous
and complicated branches, always disposed more or
less in a parallel manner, the linear form of each, with a
broad smooth disk, and narrow border, express very intellU
gibly the distinctive character of the species. See 0. pul-
verulenta, t. 1754.