HANDBOOK OF BRITISH HEPATIC^E. 207 



the ventral aspect, and may be called adventitious. 

 Thus, if we isolate one or two colesuliferous stems 

 from a luxurious tuft, at first view the central axis 

 appears continuous, and the shoots interrupted at 

 pretty regular intervals, each of which bears an 

 involucre at the apex. But on careful examination 

 we find that the axis is not continuous, but that 

 each younger stem originates from the axil of an 

 amphigastrium beneath the involucre of the former 

 season. Other innovations may spring from differ- 

 ent parts of the ventral aspect, or very rarely from 

 the axil of a leaf ; but only one of these is continued 

 in the line of the main stem. 



Spruce contends for the separation of Marsupella 

 from Nardia, on the ground that the stem with the 

 leaves is compressed from the front, and not from the 

 side. That stipules are not present, whilst they are 

 in Nardia. That the leaves are transverse, against 

 succubous in Nardia. That the leaves are com- 

 plicate or carinate in Marsupella, but not in Nardia, 

 and that the perianth is compressed from the front 

 in Marsupella, and from the side in Nardia. See 

 Revue Bryologique, i88i,p. 92. 



Nardia sparsifolia, Lindb. 



Leaves scattered. Cortical stratum of stem 

 simple. Leaves acutely incised. Lobes rather 

 acute, margin straight. Bracts connate below 

 the middle, lobes slightly inflexed, rather con- 

 cave, lobes of involucre acute. Calyptra large. 



Nardia sparsifolia, Carr. Brit. Hep. p. 21. 

 Sarcoscyphns sparsifolius, Lind. Musci. Novi., 



