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Abstract

There is no class of plants which ordinary people know or
notice so little as lichens. Yet this does not arise from their
rarity or the sparseness of their distribution, for they grow
almost everywhere on the globe, especially in the temperate
and polar zones ; and some species are very numerous. For
example, the " reindeer moss," as it is called, while it is found
in all cool climates, grows in the Arctic regions so profusely
that the individual specimens of it are said to greatly outnumber
those of any other species of plant throughout the
world. The range of altitude and position also is very
extensive. Some species are found on Alpine heights where
no other vegetation exists ; and some grow on the seaside,
between high and low water. Some thrive on hard rocks
exposed to the noonday sun ; and some delight in the shade
of caves and forests. The substrata on which they grow are
various. Sandy earth, clay and loam, sandstone, granitic,
basaltic, and calcareous rocks, dead wood, the bark and leaves
of trees, messes, etc., even dried bones, leather, iron, and glass
afford them foothold. But they seem to absorb very little
nutriment from any of these substrata ; and most of them
indeed live wholly on air and moisture.
This work
containes a list of 151 species, based on Rev. Wilsons own
collections and those of earlier collectors, and
included a brief description of each species.
SEE ALSO: Ratkowsky - Macrolichens of Mount Wellington, Tasmania - UTAS ePrints
http://eprints.utas.edu.au/13802

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Wilson, Francis RM
Keywords:	Royal Society of Tasmania, Van Diemens Land, VDL, Hobart Town, natural sciences, proceedings, records
Journal or Publication Title:	Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
Collections:	Royal Society Collection > Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
Additional Information:	In 1843 the Horticultural and Botanical Society of Van Diemen's Land was founded and became the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science in 1844. In 1855 its name changed to Royal Society of Tasmania for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science. In 1911 the name was shortened to Royal Society of Tasmania.
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