Sphceioearpus.} 



I IK PAT KM',. 99 



cording to Mr. Wilson occasioned by scales on the lower part of the 

 frond, but no peculiar organization exists to justify a belief in real fruit. 

 When growing in ponds and ditches, this plant is large and quite desti- 

 tute of fibrous radicles :.but if thrown on the soil at the margins, it 

 becomes smaller, with shorter segments, and fastens itself firmly to the 

 ground by numerous fibrous root-,. 



3. R. nutans, Linn, {broad floating Riccia); frond obovate or 

 inversely cordate once or twice lobed, clothed beneath and at 

 the margin with numerous long pendent reticulated flat fimbriae. 

 Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 1 2. v. 2.p, 708. E. Bot. t. 2!j&. Muse. Brit. 

 "I. 2. p.214. Lindenb. Syn. Uepat.p. 121. — li. cctpillata, Schm. 

 Ic, t . 1\.—Dill. Muse. t.78.f. 18. 



Stagnant pools, England; but not general. Fr. . — Fronds al- 

 ways floating, half an inch long, between fleshy and membranaceous, pale- 

 green above, slightly grooved In the centre, cells large, each cell consist- 

 ing of smaller cellules, margin and underside clothed with numerous 

 pendent, linear, membranaceous, dark purple, strongly veined fimbria.'. 

 Fruit unknown in Britain ; but appearing, from specimens communicated 

 by Professor Torrevj New York, exactly like that of li. crystallina. 

 Professor Henslow has sent me numerous specimens from near Cam- 

 bridge. 



4. R. spuria, Dicks, {spurious Riccia); " fronds membrana- 

 ceous lobed pellucid, fructification beneath the sinuses of the 

 lobes solitary exserted turbinate toothed." Dicks. Or. Fasc. 4. 

 p. 20. t. 11./. 1G. Hook. Fl. Smt. P. II. p. 110. Muse. Brit. 

 til. 2. p. 214. Lindenb. Syn. Hepatp. 119. 



Turfy marshes among the Scottish mountains. Mr. D ' .. Fr. 



. — Of this plant I know nothing, except from Dickson's figure ami 



description above quoted, which seem to accord but ill with Riccia. 



2. Sphjsrocarpus. Mich. Sphaeroearpus. 



CapsulesC? )sphserical, surrounded by anobovatejoeriia«M,open 

 at the Buramit. {Muse, lint ed.2,p.2\5.) — Named from n: 

 & globe, wad xxpros, fruit, in allusion to the form of the supposed 

 capsules. 



I. S. i, rii si ris. 8m. {ground Sphaeroearpus). /'. Bot t. 299. 

 Muse. 1 Ini. i J. 2. />. l'1.">. Lindenb. Syn. Hepat p. III. — 

 Targionia spfuerocarpa, Dicks. Cr. Fasc. I.y. 8. Schm, /<. i. 28. 

 /. II. Mali. (.a,, i. -;. -Dill. Muse. t. 78./ 17. 



Fields, especiall} clover layers : plentiful in Norfolk. Fr. Feb, — It 

 i.s with regrel that 1 am obliged to give but an unsatisfactory account 



ia plant, which, although found plentifully in my own neighbourhood, 

 1 have never been able to gather in perfect fructification. \ 

 the accounts given of if b} Schmidel, Sprengel and Weber but I con- 

 fine, my self to Uetuiling mj own observations. — 'lb singly 

 collected in small patches on the ground, each from one-fou 



half an inch in length, plane, slightly waved, the inargi 

 lobed, 1 b<-> -hoit and rout I thin, beautifully re'ticu 



colour pa 'incwh.it glaucous: underside adh< 



rowth b) numerous 

 wards the margin, i overed with man j ofthe 



