CONSPECT I ^S HEP A TK 'A R UM. 2 1 



Suborder II. MARCHANTIACEyE. 



Fronds more or less flesliy, prostrate, broadly and indistinctly 

 nerved, venoso-areolate on the upper surface, areolfu as a rule 

 with one pore, with a cavernous stratum below the pores ; 

 dichotomous, sometimes putting out postical f'rondules, villous 

 beneath with very long radicles. Very long hair-like I'asciculated 

 water-carrying ductules fill up the canal beneath the nerve, which 

 afterwards ascend into the capitulum tlirough the little canals 

 in the peduncles. Inflorescence in almost all species dioicous, 

 acrogenous, or epigenous. Androucia either peltate and stipitate 

 or discoid and hall" immersed ; antheridia solitary in the cavities. 

 Female capitula supported on a stout peduncle continuous with 

 the nerve of the frond, from 2 to many-flowered, orbiculate, 

 hemispherical or conical, generally lobate, paleaceous beneath, 

 chambered within the locali looking downwards. Involucre of 

 each loculus one or many-flowered or none. Perianth arcuate, 

 delicate, split into equal segments, rarely absent. Pistillidia from 

 two to twelve set in two rows on a short receptacle. Calyptra 

 thin, often persistent only at the base. Capsule with a short 

 pedicel, globose, of one row of cells, either splitting all round 

 or 4-8-fid from the vertex. Elaters 1-5-spiral, deciduous. 



Suborder III. EICCIACE^E. 



Fronds cellulose, fleshy, furnished with a stratum of air- 

 cavities beneath the epidermis, in most instances dichotomous. 

 Fruit valveless, generally immersed in the frond. Involucre 

 most frequently and perianth always absent. Capsule either 

 free or connate and confused with the calyi)tra, globose, bursting 

 irregulcU'ly. Elaters none. Antheridia immersed in the frond. 



Suborder IV. ANTIIOCEPOTACE/E. 



Fronds tender, slightly fleshy or thin, becoming flaccid by 

 drying, radiculose beneath but without paleju ; orbicular, lubate 

 at the circumference, nerve very broad, confused with tlie laminx 



