154 



HANDBOOK OP BRITISH HEPATIC^. 



Eur. p. 360. Jungermannia polyanthus, var. 

 /8 Lindenb. Hep. Eur. 30. 



Growing in loose straggling patches, easily de- 

 tached. Stems procumbent, or only ascending at 

 the tips, thread-like, flexuous, I to 2 inches long, 

 simple or irregularly branched, frequently innovant. 

 Leaves closely, and alternately in two rows, some- 

 what imbricate at the margins, horizontal (fig. 1 10), 

 decreasing in size from the middle towards the 

 base, as well as the extremity, nearly quadrate, 

 angles obtuse, surface plane, or slightly convex, 

 base decurrent at the lower 

 margin, extremity entire in 

 mostinstances,oftenemargin- 

 ate, especially on the inno- 

 vations, notch varying from 

 obtuse to acute, pale green. 

 Stipules narrowly lanceolate, 

 divided nearly to the base 

 into two entire subulate seg- 

 ments (fig. 109). Perichaetial 

 leaves small, ovate, obtuse, 

 unequally serrate at the mar- 

 gin, a few of these resembling 

 scales at the base of the calyx. Calyx very short, 

 scarce half so long as the calyptra, cylindrical at 

 the base, compressed above, widely ovate, truncate, 

 split into two lips, each of which laciniate at the 

 margin, clefts unequal. Calyptra oblong-ovate, 

 white, twice as long as the calyx. Capsule ovate, 

 brown, furrowed. Elaters bispiraL 



109. 



