158 The Irish Naturalist. August, 



When the surface of a leaf is viewed from above, it presents the follow- 

 ing features from the anterior or front edge to the posterior or back, first 

 a front flat-toothed margin, then a convex surface, next a concave 

 portion, and lastly the back or posterior revolute margin. 



There are nounder-leavesoramphigastria. The antheridia, archegonia, 

 and fructification are all as yet unknown. 



Growing on shady rocks amongst Scapaitia gracilis^ HymenophylluTn 

 tjmbridgense, etc , at 2,000 ft. above the village of Dugort, Achill Island, 

 Co. Mayo, Ireland, 24th June, 1903. 



Observations. — In the genus Adelaiithvs the female flowers are found on 

 very short branches at the base of the stem. I have vSearched for them 

 in vain on the little specimen which has been sent to me. 



Herr F. Stephani, the distinguished hepaticologist, to whom I sub- 

 mitted it, writes : — " The plant which you have sent me is an AdelantJuts, 

 unknown till now ; ?V is the most interesting discovery which we have leceived 

 for a long time ; the plant is ver}^ close to A. nnciformis (Tayl.) Spr., which 

 is found at the Cape of Good Hope, in Madagascar, and at Cape Horn. 

 Ireland, as doubtless you are aware, is a country classic for an ancient 

 flora still preserved there, though lost in the neighbouring countries. 

 Your new plant belongs to a small group of rare species which have the 

 characteristics of the hepatics of hot climates. A great many of these 

 'plantse relictte' of Ireland are known only in a barren condition." 



The back margin of the leaves, which is curiously incurved, easily 

 distinguishes this new hepatic from all the other European species. This 

 characteristic, however, is less noticeable than in A. loiciformis, which is 

 quite different in the large teeth of its leaves. It is very near it, if it be 

 not the same species. 



I have no doubt that in further researches a plant with flowers will be 

 found. I have complied with Mr. Lett's wish that the name of the 

 village near which it was discovered should be given to the plant. 



Through the courtesy of Professor Douin and the generosity 

 of Herr Stephani, I have been able to compare a specimen of 

 Adela7ithjis uiiciforviis (Ta}^.) from Terra del Fuego with the 

 plant from Co. Mayo. The size, colour, and general appearance 

 are much the same. But the leaves of tinciformis are larger, 

 much closer to each other at the stem, more square in outline 

 with a more acute point, more homomallous, the teeth of the 

 margin stronger, and the areolae smaller than in duoorticnsis. 

 These points of difference are very distinct when stems of 

 both plants are examined side by side on the same slide with 

 a 2 in. or i in. object-glass. 



Aghaderg, Co. Down, 



