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A GUIDE TO THE STUDY OF LICHENS / ALBERT SCHNEIDER


A GUIDE TO THE STUDY OF LICHENS / ALBERT SCHNEIDER, M. D., Ph.D.

A guide to the study of lichens (1904)

Author: Schneider, Albert, 1863-1928
Subject: Lichens
Publisher: Boston, Knight and Millet
Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT
Language: English
Call number: 004599350
Digitizing sponsor: NCSU Libraries
Book contributor: NCSU Libraries
Collection: americana
Scanfactors: 30


A GUIDE TO THE STUDY OF LICHENS / ALBERT SCHNEIDER, M. D., Ph.D.

Professor of Botany, Materia Medica and Pharmacognosy,
California College of Pharmacy, San Francisco



With frontispiece in color

and

Twenty plates



SECOND EDITION



BOSTON

KNIGHT AND MILLET

1904



Copyright, 1898
By Albert Schneider



All rights reserved



CONTENTS.



Preface
Introduction



PART I.
The General Consideration of Lichens.

SECTION I.

The History of Lichenology 1

I. From the Earliest Time to Wallroth and

Meyer (1825) 2

II. From Wallroth and Meyer (1825) to the Close

of 1896 8

SECTION II.

The Uses of Lichens 16

I. The Function of Lichens in Nature ... 17

II. The Economic Value of Lichens .... 18

SECTION III.

What are Lichens? 25

I. The Origin of a Lichen 29

II. The Relation of the Lichens to Algjs and

Fungi 33

in. Lichens as Morphological Units .... 36






VI CONTENTS.

SECTION IV.

The Morphology and Physiology of Lichens ... 39

I. The Thallus 39

1. The Cbdstose Type 41

2. The Foliose Type . -. 42

3. The Fbuticose Type 44

II. The Apothecia 45

1. The Fungal Type 46

2. The Thalline Type 47

III. Accessory Structures 48

1. The Soredia 48

2. The Cyphell-e 49

3. The Cephalodia 50

4. The Spermagonia 50

SECTION V.

The Occurrence and Distribution of Lichens ... 52

I. The Latitudinal and Altitudinal Distribution

OF Lichens 52

SECTION VI.

Lichens and the Naturalist 56

I. The Collection of Lichens 56

II. The Study of Lichens 63

III. The Pbesebyation of Lichens 65



PART II.
The Systematic Study of Lichens.

SECTION I.
Systems of Classification 73

SECTION II.

Keys to the Study of Lichens 76

I. Artificial Kky to the More Important Genera

OCCUBBINQ IN THE UNITED STATES ... 77

II. Natural Key to the Families 80



CONTENTS. VH

Description of Families, Genera and Species ... 81

I. Caliciace^ SI

II. Cladoniace^ 87

III. Lecideace^ 102

IV. Gbaphidace^ . . ; 124

V. Physciace^ 132

VI. Parmeliace^ 144

VII. Verrucariageje 169

VIII. COLLEMACE^ . . 179

IX. Pannariace^ 184



Lichens Imperfecti, or False Lichens 201

The Continental Range of the Lichens Occurring in

THE United States 202

Alphabetical List of the Genera and Species Repre-
sented in the United States 204

General Index 225

Plates 235



PREFACE.



This little work is especially written and arranged for the
use of amateurs in the study of lichens. By this it is not in-
tended to convey the idea that the presentation of the subject-
matter is unscientific, incorrect or even out of date. The
treatment of the subject is in harmony with the most recent
results obtained by tlie leaders in the study of lichenology ; I
have simply endeavored to present these results in such a way
that they may be comprehended by all ; in other words, an at-
tempt has been made to popularize our present knowledge of
lichens. It should, however, be kept clearly in mind that
only the known facts or the completed work of science can be
popularized. The advance-work of science, that is, the work
whose aim it is to make 7}ew discoveries or to correct errors, can
never he popularized ; as soon as this is attempted it ceases to
be advance-work. This statement is intended for those of the
laity who are inclined to speak of scientific work as " non-
sense " or as " a morbid taste for using big words." It is also
intended for the serious consideration of those would-be scien-
tists who are too anxious to "popularize science." It is
further hoped that this statement will avoid possible erro-
neous conclusions as to the intended purpose of this book.

The existing nomenclature-difiiculty does not concern or
interest the average student of nature. In fact, the leading
scientific specialists are themselves as yet wholly at sea as to
when and where the controversy will end. For this reason
the citation of authorities is omitted. Tlie names given are
well authenticated, so that those who have the desire and the



X PREFACE.

opportunity may enter into the consideration of the synonymy
and tlie nomenclature-controversy.

The lichens described are. the more common forms occur-
ring in the United States, those with which tlie collector is
likely to come in contact. At the close is given a fairly
complete list of the lichens found in the United States ; this
will prove helpful to those who wish to make exchanges.
The artificial key is especially intended for the use of those
who are not in possession of a compound microscope.

I take this opportunity to express my grateful obligations
to Dr. N. L. Britton and Prof. Lucian M. Underwood, of
Columbia University, who placed at my disposal the Univer-
sity collection of lichens. I am also greatly indebted to my
wife, who has kindly given aid in correcting the manuscript
and in reading the proof.

Albert Schneider.

Chicago, January, 1898.



PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION.



The changes to the second edition are the addition of six
full-page half-tone illustrations of typical representatives of
the three gi'eat subdivisions of the lichens ; namely, the
crustose, foliose, and fruticose. These veill be of great
value to beginners in the study of this remai'kable group of
plants.

Since the issue of the first edition no important discov-
eries have been made in lichenology, hence no changes have
become necessary in the text.

I take this opportunity to express my obligations to Miss
Alice Eastwood, of the California Academy of Science, and
K. S. Gray, Attorney, San Francisco, for the loan of mate-
rial, as well as for assistance in collecting specimens.

Albert Schneider.

San Francisco, August, 1903.



INTRODUCTION.



Lichens form a group of plants which has been
not so much overlooked and neglected as misunder-
stood and abused. The term lichen is rather un-
familiar, but not so the term " moss," by which the
plants here referred to are quite generally known
to layman as well as to poet. And, indeed, the term
moss is justifiable if we trace it to its Scandinavian
origin. All comparatively small thalloid cryptogams
— that is, flattened, stemless and flowerless plants —
were known as moss (most, mossa, moos, mus). The
term, therefore, included lichens, liverworts and mosses
proper. But from the present standpoint of science
lichens are not mosses, as will be made clear later ;
lichens are an independent group of plants having no
genetic relationship to mosses.

Nor must it be supposed for a moment that lichens
are uninteresting and insignificant. With the one ex-
ception of marine algae, no plants present such truly
beautiful and artistic features to the amateur in nature-
study. No group of plants is so easily obtainable or



Xll INTRODUCTION.

lends itself so readily to the critical examination of the
student and to the decorative fancies of the artisan.
Neither is it necessary to enter a plea for the kindly
consideration of these plants because they have been
neglected and abused. Lichens do not require pity :
they are more than competent to hold their own in
the great struggle for existence. Indeed, many of the
much petted and much praised higher plants owe their
very existence to the lichens. It is true, lichens can-
not boast of an exalted origin or noble ancestry, but
they have gradually advanced in a beneficent life-work,
so that at present their lowly origin is wholly lost
sight of.

Let us, therefore, obtain a better insight into these
plants, so that we may judge them more fairly and as-
sign them to their proper position in the world of life,
and duly credit them with the grand work they are
performing. Let us hope that no one, on seeing a
lichen, will say, " Oh ! that is a moss," or, " It's noth-
ing ; it just grows on trees." A lichen is as deserving
of recognition as the oak upon which it grows or the
reindeer whose life it sustains.