506 



THE MA.RCHANTIA. TAMILT. 



I Foniinalis squamosa. In mountain streams. Stalybridge Brushes, 

 plentiful. Rocks in the river at Marple. 

 E. B. xxvi. 1861. 



CLVI.— THE MAECHANTIA FAMILY. Marchantiace<B 

 or Hepaticce. 



Minute green or purplish plants, frequently with much the aspect 

 of mosses, but distinguished from them by their thecal opening into 

 four or about eight valves, and the frequent presence of very beautiful 

 spiral chains among the spores. The structure, as with the mosses, 

 requires the microscope to be understood. They grow in wet ground, 



Fig. 222. 

 Jungermannia tomentella. 



Tig. 223. 

 Marchantia polymorpha. 



where shaded, near rivulets, on moist banks, among moss in woods 

 and doughs, and upon trees, often upon rocks, where they are exposed 

 to incessant dropping of water, and especially in mountainous or sub- 

 alpine districts. They have a distinct axis of growth, and are usually 

 provided with distinct and symmetrical leaves, but sometimes both stem 

 and leaves are fused into a frond, as in that very common but interest- 

 ing plant the liver-wort, or Marchantia polymorpha, which covers 

 the ground everywhere near springs, and the stones and rocks by water- 

 falls, with a close, bright-green, crystalline skin, the ends of the fronds 

 lobcd, like an oak-leaf, and the margins a little raised. The Mar- 

 chantia is remarkable alike for the abundance of its gemmic or buds, 

 vegetating even while upon the parent, and for the groat size of its 



