LIVERWORTS 111 



minute leaves of a similar form. These are the 

 so-called stipules, though as they do not seem 

 in any botanical sense at all events to correspond 

 to the stipules of an ordinary plant, under-leaves 

 would really seem to be the more appropriate 

 term for them. These under-leaves or stipules 

 are characteristic of a good many of the leafy 

 liverworts, and, as may be supposed, their 

 presence or absence constitutes an important 

 feature in the tracking out of any particular 

 individual. There is nothing that corresponds to 

 them in any of the mosses that inhabit this part 

 of the world, though I believe that in a few 

 foreign species similar growths are found. 



The student is pretty certain to come across 

 the plant represented at fig. 6 in the early days 

 of his researches into the mysteries of the liver- 

 wort world. This is the Tubercled Liverwort 

 (Frullania dilatata), a constant dweller on the 

 bark of trees, its round, overlapping leaves, often 

 a dull purple in colour, clinging tightly to the 

 surface, and hardly looking like living plant. 

 When examined under a low power in the micro- 

 scope, however, it assumes quite a different ap- 

 pearance, not unfrequently showing most beautiful 

 warm brown tints, varied with shades of green 

 and red. The leaves, again, are bi-lobed, the 

 smaller of the two lobes having a remarkable 

 resemblance to a tiny cap ; this will be seen more 

 distinctly by reference to Plate X. fig. 3, where 



