HANDBOOK OF BRITISH HEPATIC^. 



289 



199. 



texture thin, reticulated, pale green somewhat 

 glaucous, adhering by 

 numerous fibrous radicles pro- 

 duced on the underside of 

 the frond ; superior surface, 

 except towards the margin, 

 covered with many obovate 

 follicles of the same colour as 

 the frond, variable in size, 

 truncated at the top and per- 

 forated, with an entire aperture. 

 Within these are sometimes 

 two to five pistilliform bodies, 

 at other times one of these is 

 oblong, and swollen, or it may more rarely assume 

 a spherical form (fig. 199). 



Sub-order 4. ANTHOCEROTACEsE. 



Vegetation frondose, soft. Fronds for the 

 most part orbicular, margin more or less 

 deeply lobed or incised. Fruit pedunculate, 

 capsular, pod-like, mostly two-valved, with 

 an axial filiform columella. Elaters present. 

 Spores at first enclosed in tetrasporous utri- 

 cles, then free. 



GENUS 50. ANTHOCEROS, Mich. 

 Fronds mostly orbicular, radiately lobate, 

 nearly plane, or depressed in the centre, costa 

 confluent and confused with both sides of frond. 

 Monoicous or dioicous. Capsule pedunculate, 

 exserted. Elaters undulate. Antheridia scat- 

 tered without order on the frond. 



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