217 



LOPHOZIA SCHULTZII (Nees) Schiffn. var. nov. LAXA. 

 By W. H. Burrell, F.L.S. 



Cffispitibus densis, caulibus ascendentibus, ad 6 cm. longis, 

 2-4 mm. latis, radiculosis ; foliis non latioribus quam longis ; 

 cellulis circa 23 x 27 /* apud marginem apicis, usque ad 50 x 100 ^ 

 versus basim mediam ; stipulis parvis lanceolatis, ciliatis, '25- 

 •5 mm. longis, circa -09 mm. latis ; paroicis ; foliis perigonialibus 

 transversis et gibbis, in amentulis ; calycibus subito in ore con- 

 tractis, in rostrum prominens productis ; foliorum margine antica 

 ad basim non dentata. 



In loco uliginoso, Flordon, Norfolk, 25 m. alto legit W. H. 

 Burrell, vii. 1909. 



This plant was at first assumed to be Lophozia Miilleri (Nees) 

 Dumortier, but Mr. W. E. Nicholson was not satisfied about its 

 identity, the areolation being more lax than in the specimens with 

 which he compared it, and in the autumn of 1910 he sent it to 

 Prof. V. Schiffner, of Vienna, who detected the paroicous in- 

 florescence, and placed it as a form of L. ScJmltzii, for which he 

 proposed the varietal name " laxa." This determination did not 

 pass unchallenged, and a gathering was sent to Herr Kaalaas, of 

 Christiania, who was good enough to examine it. He agreed that 

 the inflorescence was paroicous, and said that the plant could not 

 be referred to L. Kaurini, but must either be considered a form 

 or variety of L. Schultzii, or be set up as a proper though 

 " small " species. 



L. ScJmltzii belongs to a polymorphous group of Hepatics 

 having bifid leaves and smooth perianths, which Karl Mliller, in 

 Eabenhorst's Kryptog amen- Flora, places in a section " Leiocolea," 

 with L. Miilleri for the type. L. Schultzii is paroicous, with the 

 alternate, succubous, subimbricate, obhquely inserted leaves and 

 aromatic odour, which are more or less common to the group, and 

 is restricted to lowland marshes. The principal characters which 

 distinguish it are the tall erect habit, the inflorescence, and the 

 large deeply segmented amphigastria. Considerable weight is 

 attached by authors to these latter organs ; both Schiffner and 

 Muller cite the large, much cut under leaves as a reliable character 

 for distinguishing it from L. Hornschuchiana, the species with 

 which, in the barren state, it is most likely to be confused. The 

 perianth is described by Muller as cylindrical or clavate, with the 

 mouth abruptly contracted and slightly beaked. In the Ottawa 

 Naturalist for April, 1903, A. W. Evans describes L. Butlieana 

 Limpr. (= L. Schultzii), from Yukon, as having the perianth 

 gradually narrowed above the middle, not distinctly beaked nor 

 contracted at the mouth. 



A tabular comparison of some of the characters of the Norfolk 

 plant with those assigned to the species will show the chief points 

 of agreement and divergence :— 



Journal of Botany.— Vol. 49. [July, 1911.] R 



