/ / y
CRYPTOGAMIA Algae.
Gen. Char. Male, scattered warts.
Female, smooth shields or tubercles, in which the
seeds are imbedded. ,
Spec. Char. Crust thin, granulated, scattered, pale
yellowish green. Shields crowded, flattish, buff or
b row n ; their border waved,. irregular, indexed,
coloured like the crust.
Syn. Lichen varius. Ach. Prod. 40. Ehrh. Crypt. 6 8 .
Dicks. Crypt, fasc. 4. 2 2 .
Parmelia varia. Ach. Meth. 17 8 .
Patellaria varia. Hoffm. PI. Lich. v. 1 . 1 0 2 . t. 23. f . 4.
F o u n d a few years since by Mr. Turner at Burgh Castle
near Yarmouth. Wie are obliged to that gentleman for specimens,
and also to Mr. Dickson for others. The plant grows
on old posts and pales, and is perhaps not very uncommon;
but its colour and appearance are variable, and there are
several species which resemble it.
The crust is of an uniform pale sulphur-colour, smooth, not
mealy, when young even and uninterrupted, but soon becoming
cracked, scattered, and sometimes granulated. The shields
are small, numerous, and generally so crowded as to become
angular and deformed. Their disk is nearly flat, generally
pale brown or inclining to buff, but they are often red
brown or blackish. Their margin is of the colour of the crust,
thick, smooth and even when young j waved, zigzag and
notched when old.
In some states this species may hastily be confounded with
L. orostheus, in others with sulfuscus; but the texture of
the former, and the white uninterrupted crust of the latter,
will always distinguish them.
1666.