238 Alexander W. Evans, 



Of the various synonyms quoted under M. polymorpha the first 

 six require no special mention, since no question has arisen about 

 them for many 5^ears. In fact three of these synonyms were 

 never pubhshed adequately by their author at all, and nothing 

 would now be known about them if Nees von Esenbeck had not 

 included them among the synonyms of his varieties and forms of 

 M. polymorpha. It is perhaps worthy of note, however, that 

 M. stellata and M. umhellata were based on female and male 

 specimens, respectively, showing how deep an impression the 

 very different receptacles made on the early observers. The last 

 three synonyms deserve a few words of comment. 



The first, M. vittafa, was described from specimens collected 

 by its author on the island of Madeira. It is characterized by 

 the presence of a longitudinal median band on the thallus, deep 

 purple in color, and by a female receptacle bearing three to ten 

 terete rays. The authors of the Synopsis Hepaticarum cite 

 the species but do not number it, thus implying that they doubt 

 its validity. They refer it with some question to one of the 

 varieties of M. polymorpha. Although type specimens of ilf. 

 vittata have not been available for study there can be little doubt 

 that the species should be referred to M. polymorpha forma 

 aquatica, on account of its median purple band. This conclusion 

 is supported by the fact that Schiffner^^ quotes M. polymorpha 

 var. aquatica definitely from Madeira, although he makes no 

 mention of M. vittata. In fact the writer has found no references 

 to the species later than the date of the Synopsis. 



The next species, M. Syckorae, was based on female speci- 

 mens collected by Syckora and by Corda in Bohemia. Nees von 

 Esenbeck, without having seen specimens, gave a description of 

 the species based on Corda's notes and figures. The features 

 emphasized are the stellate female receptacles with terete rays 

 and the monocarpous invokicres, each consisting of two distinct 

 membranes divided into six lanceolate acuminate lobes with 

 serrate-dentate margins. In spite of the peculiarities in the 

 involucre Nees von Esenbeck suspected that M. Syckorae was 

 nothing but a form of M. polymorpha, and yet it is cited and 

 numbered in the Synopsis Hepaticarum. Many years later 

 Dedecek^* definitely included M. Syckorae among the synonyms 



^^ Oesterr. Bot. Zeitschr. 51:116. 1901. 



"Arch. Naturw. Landesdurchf. Bohmen, Bot. 5^:20. 1886. 



