83 



sent in great numbers. These large protliallia were especially 

 striking in G. dlchotoma (PI. IX, Figs. 48 — 49). Some of the largest 

 ones bear a strong likeness to certain liverworts like Fossom- 

 hronia. The midrib is very wide, and the marginal lobes are 

 strikingly leaf-like. Sometimes the archegonia are borne in very 

 great numbers and the regions where they occur upon the 

 midrib are sometimes quite destitute of rhizoids. Where young 

 sporophytes were found they were always developed from com- 

 paratively small protliallia (PI. IX, Figs. 50 and 53). The prothallia 

 of G. diclwtoma were found abundant near Peradeniya in Ceylon 

 and were also collected near Buitenzorg. Prothallia probably 

 of this same species were noted near Singapore. Prothallia of 

 G. pectinata were collected near Port Antonio in Jamaica in 

 the summer of 1897. These were growing upon banks under 

 masses of spore-bearing plants, very much the same positions 

 as were occupied by those of G. dichotoma. These prothallia 

 were much like those of G. dichotoma, but none of them were 

 found equal in size to the largest prothallia of the latter species. 

 They are also more or less elongated with a conspicuous midrib 

 and strongly developed marginal lobes. The large ones may 

 show a forking of the apex which is also met with in the 

 large prothallia of the other species (see Figs. 45—49, PI. IX). 

 In Buitenzorg collections were made in several places. It was 

 supposed that the prothallia all belonged to G. dichotoma, but 

 it was noticed that some of the prothallia were quite different 

 in appearance from those collected in Ceylon, and when they 

 were examined more critically it was seen that they evidently 

 belonged to another species. As the only other Ghichenia 

 recorded from Buitenzorg is G. laevigata Hook, and as this 

 species is often associated with (x. dichotoma it was practicall}^ 

 certain that the prothallia in question belonged to G. hievigata. 

 They differ from all other si^ecies examined in the remarkable 

 development of the marginal leaf-like lobes which are very much 

 folded and crisped so that they quite conceal the upper surface 

 of the prothallium. The latter (PI. IX, Fig. 46) closely resem- 

 bles in appearance the liverwort GeothaIhi.s\ or some forms of 



