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XXIII. On Athalamia, a new Genus of Marchantiee. By Hues pav 
Esq., M.D., F.R.S., F.L.S., Superintendent of the Hon. East India Com- 
pany's Botanic Garden at Calcutta, &jc. &c. 
Read June Ist, 1847. 
MARCHANTIEE. 
Gen. ATHALAMIA, Falc. 
Cuar. Gen. Flores masculi? 
Capituli feminei receptaculum nullum; floribus immediate pedunculo insertis, erectis. 
Involucrum nullum. Involucella tubulosa, vertice bivalvia, basi inter se connata. Ca- 
lyptra persistens, subbifido-lacerata. Sporangium in lacinias 4-5, demum revolutas, 
dehiscens; pedicello elongato, subexserto. 
Frons simplex vel radiatim triloba, crassa, carnosa, subtüs margine squamis foliaceis pluri- 
 seriatis instructa, lobis oblongis concavis margine attenuatis ; pedunculo pedicellisque 
crassis, succulentis, teretibus. 
ATHALAMIA PINGUIS, Fale. 
Oss. Genus Athalamia dictum propter flores receptaculo destitutos. 
Descr. Frond simple or radiately 3-lobed, very thick and fleshy in the centre, gradually 
thinning off towards the margins, of a light green colour; surface very finely and 
densely papillated, without pores: lobes oblong, with somewhat wavy or sinuated mar- 
gins, which are slightly erect so as to give a concave section across; extremities of the 
lobes retuse or emarginated, with the auricles inflexed: lower surface of the same 
colour, bearing under the margin several rows of imbricated white lanceolate subulate 
leaf-like scales, which are inflexed on the surface of the frond at the terminal sinuses. 
Flower-stalk emitted from about the centre of the simple frond or its lobes, thick, suc- 
culent, cylindrical and smooth, of a pale green, without any kind of pubescence, or 
persistent paraphyses at the base. Capitulum 3—4-flowered, with no common recep- 
taculum, the flowers being erect and immediately attached to the summit of the 
peduncle. Involucrum none. Involucella tubular, of rather a tough and thickish 
texture, slightly ventricose at the base, connate below at the axis, distinct upwards, 
