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LICHEN crifpus,
C r i f p e d g e l a t i n o u s L i c h e n ,
CRYPTOGAMIA Alga.
G b n . C h a r . Male, fcattered warts.
Female, tmooth fhields or tubercles, in which the
feeds are imbedded.
S p e c , C h a r . Gelatinous, olive-green, imbricated,
orbicular, lobed and notched, with crifped and
granulated leaves in the centre. Shields flat, red-
brown, fcattered.
S yn. Lichen crifpus. Linn. Syjl. Nat. ed .'ii. v . 2.
710. Hudf. 535. With. v. 4. 76. Hull. 301.
Relh. 427- Sibth, 327. Acliar. Prod. 126.
Lichenoides gelatinofum atrovirens, crifpum et ru-
gofum. Hill. Mufc. 1 3 9 . t. 1 9 , ƒ. 2 3 .
O f all the various and intricate tribe o£Lichens, the gelatinous
fpecies are the moft difficult of determination. They
all nearly agree in their greenifh olive hue, turning almoft
black when dry, in which ftate indeed they all for the moft
part thrive] up into an undiftinguithable mafs. When moift
they are pulpy, tender, often very thick, in fome inftances fa
thin as to be membranous.
The crifpus, though fometimes with difficulty known from
luxuriant plants of the criftatus, is in general eafily to be
recognized. It grows in wet thady places under rocks, ftones,
or walls, afluming a roundith figure, varioufly imbricated,
wrinkled or lobed, though never in its whole fubftance
elevated from the foil. The furface is crowded with irregular
blunt leaflets, which towards the centre become lobed, curled,
and frequently granulated. The fhields are numerous,
fcattered, with a flat reddith ditk (greener when young), and
a blunt irregular elevated margin, of the colour and fubftance
of the leaf.
This plant is fcarcely to be dpte£ted but after a continuance
of moift weather.