252 Bombay natural history society. 



scope the frond presents a reticulated surface, on the upper surface 

 of which there are open spaces representing the " stomata," or 

 breathing si3ores. The frond is elongated and presents a deep 

 groove, dark green in colour, and corresponding to the midrib of 

 the leaf of a phanerogam. The fronds branch dichotomously, and 

 a vertical section presents a figure of eight appearance. The cells 

 are compressed, spherical, and give the appearance of a hexagon by- 

 mere optic illusion. There are abundant chlorophyll granules in the 

 cells, closely packed. The roots arise from the lower surface of 

 the mid groove. They are soft and filamentous. There are 

 also some fine radical hairs; the fronds are succulent and 

 not imbricated. The margins are entire. The sporangium which 

 contains the spores is situated in the frond and is ovoid in form, 

 containing thickly-packed brown black spores of a very definite 

 character. 



In other parts of the frond there is the commencing formation of 

 the sporangium, where the dichotomous cell division is well marked. 

 The full formed spores are honeycombed iu appearance. No elators 

 or spiral fibre, have been seen at all the examinations of the plane. 

 The plant is therefore consigned to the sub-division or iS Alliance," 

 as Lindley calls it, of Ricciaceae the diagnosis lying between this 

 sub-division and Marchantiaceae, in which elators exist as a matter 

 of necessity. The plant depicted in Fig. II., PI. No. I., is also consign- 

 ed to the sub-division Ricciaceaa. The colour is brighter than that of 

 plant Fig. I. The fronds are more delicate and less succulent, The 

 margins are crenulate and lobed. The stomata are visible on the 

 upper surface even to the naked eye. The roo's are finer and more 

 numerous, coming not only from midribs, but also from the under 

 surface of the frond as a whole. The fructification of the plant has 

 not been observed. Under the microscope the structure of the 

 chlorophyll cells is much more delicate and oval. The stomata 

 are strikingly sharp and hexagonal. The plant depicted on PI. No. 

 II., Fig. III., is peculiar in its arrangement, the tendency being to 

 form circles by the growth of fronds all round from a central point. 

 The colour is dark green, tinged brownish yellow. The tissue 

 is crisp and friable, midway between that of plants figured Nos. 1 

 and 2. The margins are crenulate, and the greater the number of 

 fronds packed the greater the amount of crenulation. The cells 

 forming the substance of the frond look polygonal and compact, 

 having large thickly set chlorophyll granules in various stages of 



