Marchantia^ HEPATIC^. 223 



Fronds procumbent, imbricated, oblong, from one to two and 

 sometimes three inches long, rarely simple, generally forked, 

 waved and crenate at the margin ; texture between carnose and 

 membranaceous, inclining to the latter ; the colour green above, 

 frequently with a darker central line indicating the midrib, the 

 under side often purple at the margin, the midrib prominent, 

 throwing out numerous silky fibres, and on each side beset with 

 purple scales, partially concealed by the roots, sometimes the 

 centre of the frond below is purple ; on the upper surface the 

 cells are very distinctly marked, and, as in M. polymorpha, 

 furnished in the centre with a pore. 



Fructification monoecious as well as dioacious ; male recep- 

 tacles with short pedicells springing from the midrib in a sinus at 

 the extremity of the frond, receptacle peltate, flat and papillose 

 above, purplish, their margins somewhat reflected, cut into four, 

 eight, or nine rounded unequal lobes. Anthers as in M. poly- 

 morpha. Female receptacle with pedicells from two to four 

 inches long, hemispherical, cut at the margin into from four to 

 ten, or eleven obtuse, deflexed lobes, covering as many mem- 

 branaceous involucres, which are entire at the margins ; calyces 

 white, membranaceous quadrifid, two or three in each in- 

 volucre. Calyptra as in the preceding. Capsule scarcely pro- 

 truded at maturity, consequently upon a very short fruitstalk, 

 of a dark brown colour, cut for nearly half way down into 

 seven or eight obtuse revolute segments, containing a great 

 number of equally dark brown seeds, and spiral filaments, as in 

 M. polymorpha. 



Gemmiferous scyphi, crescent shaped, as in the genus Lunula- 

 ria of Micheli. 



Mr. Francis sends us, from Edgefield, Norfolk, specimens 

 with female fructification only, which we find to differ from the 

 common appearance of the plant just described, by the more 

 compactly cellular nature of the frond, so that the areolae are 

 not visible in a dry state. 



A second variety, as we presume it to be, we have received 

 from Mr. Borrer of Sussex, with the fronds more elongated, 

 the margins beautifully crenate, and, like the under side, of a 

 deep purple ; the cellules and pores less distinct than even in 



