225 



A NEW HEPATIC. 



By Dr. B. Carrington and W. H. Pearson. 



(Plate 290.) 



Lepidozia reversa, n. sp. — Loosely creeping, pale olive to 

 dull brown ; flagelliferous ; flagella postical, leafless, slightly 

 radicellose ; rootlets sparing, delicate, hyaline. Stems -t-f in. 

 long, rigid, brittle, 4-5 cells in diam., cortical cells 10, equal in 

 size to the inner ones ; irregularly pinnate, branches lateral, 

 distant, alternate, of various lengths. Leaves succiihous, obliquely 

 inserted, patent-divergent (70°), roundish or obovate, palmate, 

 3-5-fid to about the middle, contracted at the base, segments 

 lanceolate, acute, the outer ones narrower and shorter, 3-4 cells 

 broad at the base, branch leaves approximate, trifid or bifid; 

 leaf-cells thick-walled, 4-5 and 6-sided, chlorophyllose. Under- 

 leaves much smaller, not so broad as the stem, free, subquadrate, 

 divided to below the middle into 2-4 subulate segments of equal 

 size, composed of 2-3 single cells. Inflorescence dioicous. Invo- 

 lucre on short, postical branch (the only two seen were young and 

 imperfect). Androecia on short, proper, postical branches (3-4 

 pairs of leaves) ; leaves broadly ovate, shallowly bifid ; antheridia 

 single, oval. 



Measurements. — Stem, -075 to -125 mm. diam.; leaves, '3 x '3 

 mm., -275 x -275, -25 x -25, -35 x -25 mm.; segments of leaves, 

 •175, -1, -15 mm. ; cells, -03 x -02, -025 x -025 mm.; under-leaves, 

 •075 high X -1 mm. broad, -05 x -075 mm. ; segments of under- 

 leaves, -035 mm. ; antheridia, '15 x -1 mm. 



0))s. — Whether the present species is a Lepidozia, or the type of 

 a new genus, it would be premature to decide ; there can be no 

 doubt that it occupies an unique position among the Lepidozia, in 

 which all the species at present known have leaves with either 

 incubous or transverse insertions. In the present species they are 

 undoubtedly succubous, thus confirming the opinion of Dr. Spruce 

 that this character cannot be deemed of generic or tribal im- 

 portance. 



Hab. — Growing on rotten wood and earth, intermingled with 

 other species, Sandy Creek, near Beenleigh, Queensland, collected 

 by Mr. C. A. Wild, May, 1887. In springs, Eobertson River, 

 Queensland (Herb. Stephani). 



Description of Plate 290. — Fig. 1, Plants, nat. size ; 2, plant, antical view, 

 X 24 ; 3, portion of branch, postical view, x 85 ; 4 — 7, leaves, x 85 ; 8, portion 

 of leaf, X 290; 9, 10, 11, stem under leaves, x 85; 12— 15, branch under-leaves, 

 X 85 ; 10, perigonial leaf, with antheridium, x 65. 



Journal of Botany.— Vol. 27. [Aug. 1889.] 



