2711.
LECIDEA synothea.
Minute crowded Lecidea.
CRYPTOGAMIA Lichenes.
Gen. Char. Patellulce sessile or more or less immersed,
with a margin of a substance different
from the thallus.
Spec. Char. Crust indeterminate, somewhat gelatinous,
minutely granulöse, uneven, sooty-brown.
Patellulae minute, dull brownish-black, pale
within, at length convex; margin narrow, evanescent.
Syn. Lecidea synothea. ' Ach. Lieh. Univ. 169.
Syn. 26.
O b SERYED at Esher, Surrey, and at Henfield and
Boxgrove, Sussex, on the decaying surface of squared
rails of oak and deal. It agrees with authentic specimens
from Acharius.
Thallus composed of extremely minute granulations,
which form a very thin, indeterminate, rugged, unpolished,
obscure dark brown or sooty-black crust, becoming subge-
latinous upon the application of moisture, which it imbibes
rapidly, changing its general hue but little, although some
parts assume a dull tinge of green. Occasionally the crust
is interrupted, and an obscure pale film is here and there
perceptible, of which it is difficult to decide whether it belongs
to the plant or not. Patellulaa numerous, usually
clustered, so small as to be barely distinguishable by the
naked eye from the crust, amongst the granulations of which
they arise, and from which they differ but little in hue • they