CRYPTOGAMIA Alga;.
G en. Char. Receptacles cup-shaped, with a torn
border from the crust, powdery, with a fertile
disk beneath.
Spec. Char. Crust orbicular, tartareous, thick, white,
cracked ; thin, polished, zoned and flesh-coloured
in the circumference. Receptacles orbicular,
very white, with an elevated margin when young.
Svn. Variola ria lactea, P e r s .inU s t.A n n .fa s c .7 ,2 i.
Ach. Meth. 14. t. 1. f . 6. Turn. $ Borr. Lich.
Brit. v. 1 . 69.
Lichen lacteus. Linn. JHant. 132. Huds. 526.
With. v. 4. 5. Hull. 285. Wulf. in Jacq. Coll.
v. 3. 107. t. 4. Westr.fasc. 1. 25. t. 3 ?
.
T h e Rev. Mr. Harriman sent us beautiful specimens of this,
on whinstone, from the north. Its crust spreads widely and
circularly j without interruption, being tartareous, cream-coloured,
finely granulated, tuberculated, cracked and opaque
over the greater part of its surface. The marginal region, if
we may so speak, is much thinner, polished almost like satin,
marked with numerous concentric lines or plaits, and tinged at
the edge with a delicate flesh-colour. This part is better described
by Wulfen than any other writer. Acharius seems
not well to have known it. The fructification when young is
small, not unlike the shields of a Lichen, having a thickish
elevated border, though only an uneven disk. The latter in
process of time becomes very white and powdery. The internal
disk Mr. Turner says is pale brown, but not easily discoverable.
Notwithstanding the doubts of Acharius reported
in the Lich. Brit, we cannot have any scruples as to Wul-
fen’s synonym.—Dr. Westring’s plate is much less like
our plant; indeed it seems scarcely intended for it, though
drawn by Acharius, from whom we have a correct specimen.
24.10
MftuJ 1. 1