716 



SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



Fiff. 1095. 



valved ; with a filiform columella. Spores either mixed with 

 imperfect elaters, or these are absent. Examples ; Antho- 

 ceros, Monoclea. 



Sub-order 3, Marchantiacece or MarcJuintiecB. — Liverworts {figs. 

 Sll-815). — Sporangia without valves; bursting irregularly 

 or by teeth ; without a columella. Spores mixed with elaters 

 {fig. 815). Examples: — Fimbriaria, Marchantia. 



Sub-order 4. BicciacecB or Ricciem. — Crystal worts. — Sporangia 

 without valves ; bursting irregularly ; without a columella. 

 Spores not mixed with elaters. Examples : — Kiccia, Sphsero- 

 carpus. 



Bistrihution and Numbers, — The plants of this order are gene- 

 rally difiiised over the globe, but they are most abundant in damp 

 shady places in tropical climates. There are about 700 species. 

 Properties and lists . — Of no importance. Some have been 

 used in liver complaints, and other species, as Marchantia 

 hemispherica, cfr., have been em- 

 ployed, in the form of poultices, in 

 dropsy. 



Natural Order 292. Charace^. 

 —The Chara Order {fig. 1095).— 

 Character. — Water plants, with a 

 distinct stem branching in a whorled 

 manner {fig. 1095), and either trans- 

 parent or coated with carbonate of 

 lime. Reproductive organs of two 

 kinds, arising at the base of the 

 branches (^^. 816, w,^),andeitheron 

 the same or on different branches of 

 the same plant, or on separate plants. 

 These organs are termed globules{figs. 

 816, g, and 818) and nucides {figs. 

 816, n, 819, and 820). (See pages 

 372—374: for a detailed account of 

 their structure.) 



Bistrihution, cfc. — The plants of 



this order occur in stagnant fresh 

 Fig. 1095. a small portion of a -,, . • n i. <? .i 



species of Chara, n.agnifled. or salt Water in all parts of the 

 The brandies are arranged 111 a globe; but they are most abundant 

 wiiorledinaiiuer. In tlie interior - , ,^ t- ^ jn 7 /• 



of eacii cell Hie contents ex- m temperate climates. Examples oj 

 hibitaki.Hi of circulation. The fJie Genera: — There are two genera, 

 directionof tins circulation is in- ^, t t.^., „ i ^ , ,^ 



dicated hy the arrows. The cir- Chara and JNitelia, and about 40 



culating matter does not pass snecies 



from ceil to cell, but is confined ^-r, ' j. t tt mi ^ ^ 



to that in which It originates. Froperties and Uses. — i hese plants 



during their decay give otf a very 

 foetid odour, which is regarded as most injiu-ious to animal life. 

 They have no known uses. 



