Marchantia.] HEPATICiE. 105 



ber of equally dark brown seeds and spiral filaments, as in M. polymorpha. 

 Gemmiferous scyphi crescent-shaped, as in the genus Lumdaria of Micheli. 

 Mr. Francis sends me from Edgefield, Norfolk, specimens with female 

 fructification only, which differ from the common appearance of the plant 

 just described, by the more compactly cellular nature of the frond, so 

 that the areolae are not visible in a dry state. 



A second var., as I presume it to be, has been communicated by Mr. 

 Borrer, from Sussex, with the fronds more elongated, their margins 

 beautifully crenate, and, like the underside of a deep purple ; the cellules 

 and pores less distinct than even in the last-mentioned var.; upon it I find 

 the pedunculated male receptacles, and, lying among the specimens, but 

 not attached to them, is a single female receptacle, apparently belonging 

 to them, and having all the characters of that of M. hemisphecrica. Still 

 a third appearance of this species, is found growing abundantly on a bank, 

 intermixed with Targionia hypophylla, in the New Forest, Hants, by Mr. 

 Lyell. In this, likewise, the specimens have the fronds of a compact 

 nature, their underside and margin of a deep purple, the upper surface, 

 sometimes, especially in the dry state, apparently as destitute of areola? 

 as in the 2d var., whilst at other times, especially when moist, the areolae 

 and their pores are tolerably conspicuous. The female fructification, as 

 seen and described to me by Mr. Lyell, seems precisely similar to that 

 of M. hemisphecrica ; but the most remarkable peculiarity of this plant is 

 that the male receptacles, which are very abundant, have hitherto al- 

 ways been found sessile, and imbedded, as it were, in the surface of the 

 frond, situated near the extremities, whence, at the period of their 

 decav, innovations of the frond are seen to issue. 



The 3 vars. just described, are found growing on comparatively dry 

 banks, and to this may be attributed the compact nature of their fronds, 

 the deep purple hue of the underside and margins, and the indistinct- 

 ness of the cellules. The M. <juadrata y Scop., which Smith refers to 

 his M. androgyna in E. BoL, may, I think, be quoted under M. hemi- 

 sphecrica. 



I cannot help suspecting that M. androgyna of E. Bot. t at least, is 

 nothing more than M. hemisphcerica. I allude to the 2 upper figs.; the 

 2 lower ones, with more perfect fructification, are stated to be copied 

 from Swiss specimens, and I have no hesitation in pronouncing them 

 to be the M. fragrant, Balbis, a highly curious plant, never yet found in 

 Britain. I however possess individuals of the same or an analogous 

 Species from Philadelphia and the Cape of Good Hope, BS well as 

 Switzerland and Savoy, and tiny constitute the vi'iw remarkable genus 

 described hv Nees von Esenbeck, in the Flora BeroRnensis, under the 

 name of Fimbraria. The essential character of Smith's M. androgyna, 

 i^ to have the "calyx of the female Jiowert bemisphaerical, with 1 clefts 



and 1 cells," which' is b) QO means at variance with the common state 



of .1/. hernuphamca. The figures, too, arc Bufficientlj characteristic, and 



in the form of the frond, more faithful than M. hcmisjd,, erica, !. 

 The upper left-hand plant hat the appearance and purple edges of OUT 

 Edgefield par, 



The name .1/ . androgywi* originated with I.inmeus; but his character, 



* Dr. Taylor lias Men, In Ireland, that the mum peduncle hae eometimeo on 



Us summit the I'tlt.it. dl k, with MM bah Of its summit hftvil 



pointing downwards, the other half with its upper eurfsce hex 

 imbedded. Can this bare (ireo origin to the name, M androgyna 9 



