V [ 1851 ]
LICHEN pinicola.
Tine-barb Black-shielded Lichen.
CRYPTOGAMIA Algce.
G en. Char. Male, scattered warts.
Female, smooth shields or tubercles, in which the
seeds are imbedded.
Spec. Char. Crust diffuse, thin, brownish white, somewhat
tartareous. Shields numerous, very minute,
very black, opaque, with a black, smooth, elevated
border.
Syn. Lichen pinicola. Ach. P rod. 66,
Parmelia exigua /3. Ach. Meth. 155,
W h e n we venture to dissent from the opinion of so great
a practical observer as Professor Acharius, we gladly resign
ourselves to his correction in case he should on reconsidering
the matter find us in the wrong. In the more intricate departments
of botany any aid is welcome ; and as our work is
become one of the most extensive in the cryptogamic class,
we will not withhold any thing which may enrich it, especially
as that class has of late acquired so many votaries, The world
seems to have discovered that nothing about which Infinite
Wisdom has deigned to employ itself, can, properly speaking,
be unworthy the attention of any of its creatures, how lofty
Soever their pursuits and pretensions may be.
I first gathered this Lichen in 1791 on the bark of some old
firs at Enfield wash, and was persuaded of its being distinct
from parasemus, t. 1450, the only species with which it still
seems to me to have much affinity. I have no doubt’that the remark
in the Methodus of Acharius indicates the true source of
his error in referring this species to exiguus, from which I have
always found it essentially different, (even generically so according
to his own principles,) in having a black border only
to the shields, of the substance of their disk. Its minuteness
distinguishes it from parasemus, but especially the thin
brownish crust. It is not a rare plant. Mr. W. Borrer has
sent a more scaly variety, as he judges, which is frequent on
barns.
Je&liSoS, TuilUheAby Jaf.Jowerbf/.Ionderv.