Meyer’s[110] work contains a still more exact study of the anatomy and
physiology of lichens; he also devotes many passages to an account of
their metamorphoses, pointing out that species alter so much in varying
conditions, that the same one at different stages may be placed even in
different genera; he however carries his theory of metamorphosis too
far and unites together widely separated plants. Meyer was the first to
describe the growth of the lichen from spores, though his description is
somewhat confused. Possibly the honour of having first observed their
germination should be given to a later botanist, Holle[111]. The works
of both Wallroth and Meyer enjoyed a great and well-merited reputation:
they were standard books of consultation for many years. Koerber[112],
who devoted a long treatise to the study of gonidia, confirmed Wallroth’s
theories: he considered at that time that the gonidia in the soredial
condition were organs of propagation.
Mention should be made here of the many able and keen collectors who,
in the latter half of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the
nineteenth, did so much to further the knowledge of lichens in the
British Isles. Among the earliest of these naturalists are Richard
Pulteney (1730-1801), whose collection of plants, now in the herbarium of
the British Museum, includes many lichens, and Hugh Davies (1739-1821),
a clergyman whose Welsh plants also form part of the Museum collection.
The Rev. John Harriman (1760-1831) sent many rare plants from Egglestone
in Durham to the editors of _English Botany_ and among them were not a
few lichens. Edward Forster (1765-1849) lived in Essex and collected in
that county, more especially in and near Epping Forest, and another East
country botanist, Dawson Turner (1775-1858), though chiefly known as
an algologist, gave considerable attention to lichens. In Scotland the
two most active workers were Charles Lyell (1767-1849), of Kinnordy in
Forfarshire, and George Don (1798-1856), also a Forfar man. Don was a
gardener and became eventually a foreman at the Chelsea Physic Garden.
Sir Thomas Gage of Hengrave Hall (1781-1823) botanized chiefly in his
own county of Suffolk; but most of his lichens were collected in South
Ireland and are incorporated in the herbarium of the British Museum. Miss
Hutchins also collected in Ireland and sent her plants for inclusion
in _English Botany_. But in later years, the principal lichenologist
connected with that great undertaking was W. Borrer, who spent his life
in Sussex: he not only supplied a large number of specimens to the
authors, but he himself discovered and described many new lichens.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account