86 



it grew, and in one instance only have I seen it thrice as long. The 

 base of each branchlet is slightly dilated into a sort of bulb, which is 

 affixed to the leaf by a very small surface (covering exactly one cel- 

 lule), and when detached by gentle force, it brings away with it the 

 upper paries of the cellule. In no case have I been able to detect 

 any radicles proceeding from the base of the ramulus, and connecting 

 it with the leaf; and sections that I have carefully made of the leaf 

 and ramulus at the point of attachment, have failed to reveal any pe- 

 culiarity of structure. 



T have kept my sketch and notes of this remarkable monstrosity 

 (for such 1 considered it) laid aside for upwards of two years, hoping 

 that I might meet with some analogous structure in other species of 

 the genus, or in other tribes of plants, which would lead to a correct 

 explanation of the mode of its production ; but in this I have hitherto 

 been disappointed. There can be little doubt that the matter from 

 which these branchlets are orgaiiized, exists in the cellules from which 

 they spring ; and perhaps their formation may be accounted for by re- 

 garding them as gemmae, which have developed into distinct plants 

 while yet remaining in adhesion to the parent stem. It is true, that, 

 so far as I am aware, this premature growth of gemmae has never been 

 observed in the tribe of Jungermanniege, yet there is something very 

 similar in the Marchantieae ; and in some genera of Lichens we find 

 gemma? arising from the surface of the thallus, and developing into 

 perfect plants, whose connexion with the parent plant is very tardily 

 — 'Sometimes never — dissolved. It is to be regretted that I was 

 unable to meet with a leaf-branch of Jungermannia juniperina just 

 bursting from its cell, which would ])robably have afforded a clew 

 to the cause of its appearance in such an unusual locality ; but all 

 that I have seen were considerably protruded, and, in all that regards 

 their structure, fully formed. Richard Spruce. 



Welburn, near Wliitwell, 



Yorkshire, January 31, 1846. 



On Ceradia furcaia. By Prof. Balfour. 



You will see in Lindley's Register for February, that the plant from 

 Ichaboe, noticed by Dr. Maclagan at the January Meeting of the 

 Botanical Society of Edinburgh (Phytol. ii. 60), is Ceradia furcata, 

 belonging to the natural order Compositse, and section Erechthiteae. 

 I have lately received a specimen of the plant in a better state than 

 that noticed by Dr. Maclagan. J. H. Balfour. 



