HANDBOOK OF BRITISH HEPATIC^. 267 



draecium either peltate and stipitate, or discoid 

 and subimmersed. Female capitulum on a 

 stout peduncle, continuous with the rib of the 

 fronds; two or many flowered. Capsule with 

 a short stem, globose, unistratose, circumscis- 

 sile, or split four to eight times at the apex. 



GENUS 41. MARCHANTIA, Mich. 



Fronds mostly fleshy ; scales beneath on 

 each side 4-5 seriate, peduncle two, rarely 

 three, channelled. Capitulum many-lobed, 

 radiating. Involucre two to five flowered. 

 Perianth three to five cut. Capsule stipitate. 

 Apex cut in four to eight segments. Andrae- 

 cium on long peduncle (fig. 194). 



Marehantia polymorpha, Linn. 



Fronds prostrate, overlapping, generally 

 once or twice forked, I to 4 inches long, 

 of a dull-green colour; male receptacle 

 stalked, flat on the top, cut into eight short, 

 rounded lobes. Female receptacle stalked, 

 hemispherical, deeply divided into eight to 

 ten rays, covering as many involucres. 



Marehantia polymorpha, Nees Hep. Eur. 

 IV., 61 ; Tayl. Linn. Trans. XVII., 376; 

 Eng. Bot. t. no; Hook. Br. Fl. V., 102; 

 Cooke Hep. fig. 186; Carr. and Pears. 

 Exs. 147. 



