38 



Class.— MUSCINBJE. 



Sub-Class. -HEPATIC^^. 

 0]?de]?.—lV[£t]?cli. £1.1:1 tiese. 



Type.-A LIVERWORT. 

 MARCHANTIA POLYMORPHA. 



•^ GENERAL MORPHOLOGY. 



Marchantia has a tougli, leathery, thalloid stem, 

 extended flat upon the ground, it is ribbon-like, 

 dichotomously branched, and green. Along the 

 centre of each shoot projects on the ventral (under) 

 surface a ruidrib. The existence of simple, scale-like 

 leaves can be detected with the aid of a microscope. 

 There may be present three forms of scales : — 



(1) Marginal scales which have become brown. 



(2) Median scales, which lie in the middle line, and 

 are usually purple. 



(3) Laminar scales, which lie on either side of the 

 middle line. The ucder side of the thallus 

 also produces fine rhizoids^ which are not true 

 roots. 



