ed, 



440 HEPATIC^. 



Genus 41. BLASIA, iMich. 



Blasia, Mich. Nov. PL Gen. p. 14 (1729); Linn. Fl. Suec. ed. l,p. 9:^3 



p. 105 (1715), et Sp. PI. p. 1605 (1753). 

 Janyermania, Hook. Brit. Jung. tt. 82-84 (181G). 



Plant frondose, nerved, rructifi cation produced in a rupture 

 of the nerve. Involucre bladder-shaped, adnate to the apex of 

 the frond. Perianth enclosed within the utricular involucre. 

 Calyptra obovate. Peduncle emerging from the apex. Capsule 

 oval-globose, 4-valved, coriaceous. Elaters bi-spiral, deciduous. 

 Antheridia immersed in the thallus, covered with dentate scales. 

 Gemma' globose, arising by a slender ascending tube from their 

 large Hask-like receptacles which are immersed in the thallus. 



Blasia pusilla, Z. 



Blasia pusilla, Linn. Sp. pi. 1605 (1753). 



Jungermania Blasia, Hook. Brit. Jung. t. 82 & 84 (1816). 



Dioicous, in flat imbricating patches, medium size,pale yellowish 

 or bluish-green in colour. Fronds prostrate, horizontal, costate, 

 simple or with a single lateral branch, dichotomously divided, 

 palmate with apices forked or rarely stellate ; lobes usually oblong 

 or linear-obovate, apices always broader than the base, often erect, 

 margin pinnatifid or shortly lobate, sinuous, undulate, incurved ; 

 throuo-liout the centre of the frond and its divisions runs an 

 evident and broad nerve, most prominent on the postical side ; 

 texture fleshy, thinnest at the margin where it is membranaceous ; 

 at the middle 8-14 cells thick, gradually becoming thinner to the 

 margins where it is one cell thick ; cells somewhat indistinct, at 

 the middle of the frond striate, narrow, elongate, near the margin 

 medium size, oblong-quadrate or quadrate, marginal cells smaller, 

 quadrate, very finely crenulate, walls thick and firm ; radiculose, 

 rootlets numerous, proceeding from the postical side of the frond 

 but (diiefly along the nerve, long, slender, hyaline. On the 

 postical side of the frond are scattered small, hyaline, oval scales 



