102 HEPATICJE. [Marchantia. 



filaments. Anthers (?) oblong, imbedded in a flat, carnose, sessile 

 or pedunculated, papillary disk. Gemmxe, abundant in this 

 genus, on the frond, lenticular, contained in variously shaped 

 receptacles, and germinating even while on the parent frond. — 

 (Muse. Brit. ed. 2. p. 219.) — Named in compliment to Nicholas 

 Marchant, the first Botanist which the Royal Academy of 

 Sciences at Paris admitted among its members. 



1. M. polymorpha, Linn, (polymorphous Marchantia); recep- 

 tacle of the capsules deeply cut in a stellated manner into about 

 10 narrow segments, that of the anthers pedunculated. Linn. 

 Sp. PL p. 160. E. Bot. t. 1 10. Hooker, Fl. Scot. P. II. p. 1 19. 

 Muse. Brit. ed. 2. p. 219. Lindenb. Syn. Hepat. p. 100.— Bill. 

 Muse. t. 76. / 6. 



Moist and wet situations ; also in dry spots when shaded ; very com- 

 mon. Fr. July. — Fronds much imbricated, procumbent, erect only 

 when growing in water, very variable in length, rarely simple, generally 

 once or twice divided in a dichotomous manner, 1 — 4 or even 5 inches 

 long; laciniae mostly short, rounded and nearly entire ; sometimes, as 

 when growing in water, very much elongated, linear-oblong, marked on 

 the upper surface with a depressed dark line, which, beneath, consti- 

 tutes a prominent blackish midrib, whence, for nearly the whole length 

 of the plant, spring numerous pale, silky, fibrous radicles. Colour gene- 

 rally an uniform dull green; the texture between fleshy and membra- 

 naceous, more approaching to the latter, strikingly cellular ; cells oblong, 

 furnished in the centre with a small pore, arranged in parallel lines, 

 diverging upward from the midrib at an acute angle. Fructification 

 dioecious; fronds bearing anthers similar to those bearing capsules. 

 Male receptacle greenish ; the papillae purple, supported on peduncles, 

 springing from the base of a sinus at the extremity of the frond just 

 beneath the margin; about one inch in length, obtusely quadrangular, 

 thickened upwards. On one side of the peduncle are two grooves, each 

 containing a bundle of filaments that pass through their whole length, 

 and diverge, on the under side of the peltate receptacle, into as many 

 rays as there are lobes to the receptacle. Receptacle flat on the sum- 

 mit, horizontal, papillose, fleshy, thin and membranaceous at the margin, 

 and cut into about eight short* rounded lobes. Anthers equal in number 

 to the papillae on the surface of the receptacle, and imbedded in its 

 fleshy portion : a vertical section shows them to be of nearly oval form 

 and reticulated structure, filled with soft granular matter; they are 

 surrounded by an ovate reticulated membrane, attenuated above and 

 opening by an orifice through the papillae. On the underside of 

 the receptacle are numerous imbricated scales, radiating, so that each 

 ray corresponds with a marginal lobe of the receptacle, and there covers 

 the diverging fibres above mentioned. Female fructification —receptacle 

 of the capsules pedunculated; the peduncle 1—3 or 4 inches long, 

 rising, as in the male fructification, and similar in shape and structure, 

 but not thickened above. Receptacle hemisphaerical, deeply divided to 

 the base into 8—10 linear, cylindrical, decurved rays, covering as many 

 involucres which are united at the base, and there intermixed with minute 

 chaffy scales; these involucres are oblong, membranaceous, open at the 

 extremity, and remarkably laciniated, enclosing at the base, while young, 

 two or three pendent pistils, as in Jungermannia, each surrounded by an 

 ovate quadrifid membranaceous perianth. Of these pistils, one or more 



