L I C H E N cocciferus.
S c a r l e t C u p L i c h e n .
CRYPTOGAMIA Algcs.
Gen. Char. Male, scattered warts.
Female, smooth shields or tubercles, in which the
seeds are imbedded.
S pec. Char. Cup-shaped, leathery, pale greenish-grey,
mealy. Cups dilated, somewhat toothed. Tubercles
fungous, scarlet. Leaves minute, lobed and
crenate.
Syn. Lichen cocciferus. Linn. Sp. PL 1618. Ach.
Prod. 187. With. v. 4. 39. Hull. 304. Relh.
469. Sibth. 332. Abbot. 269. Ehrh. Crypt. 168.
L . pyxidatus i. Hud$. 553.
Lichenoides tubulosum pyxidatum, tuberculis amcene
coccineis. Rail Syn. 69.
Basomyces cocciferus. Ach. Meth. 331.
Coralloides scyphiforme, tuberculis coccineis. Dill.
Muse. 82. t. 14. f . 7 .
T H IS truly beautiful production of Nature is by no means
uncommon in woods, or on heaths, among ling, and in various
dry sandy turfy places, appearing to greatest advantage
in the wet wintry months. It varies much in size and figure,
like all its tribe, and some have thought even its distinguishing
character of the scarlet tubercles a mere variation of
L.pyxidatus,t. 1393. It seems to us however a distinct species,
the foliage being more lobed and less imbricated, the stems
more mealy and less leafy, the colour of the whole usually paler
and less glaucous, and the scarlet tubercles more numerously
and regularly disposed, either sessile or on stalks, round the
cups. Acharius says these tubercles dye wool and silk of an
exquisite colour.
How far this species differs from L . lellidiflorus, may be
seen in v. 27. t. 18 9 4 .
2 0 5 1 .
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