1895. ] Distribution of the N. Am. Marchantiacee. 63 
high, purple, often paler above, pilose especially at the apex; 
receptacle convex with 2—4 involucres; inner involucres white 
or tinged with pink, 8—12-cleft, the divisions coherent at the 
apices. Sporophyte dark, sessile; spores dark purple or 
nearly black, with a reddish border, reticulate when imma- 
ture, opaque at maturity, 100-135 in diameter; elaters dark, 
almost opaque, slender, 2—3 times as long as the diameter of 
the spores, bispiral. 
On the earth among mosses, Lower California, Brandegee, 
Orizaba, Miiller, 18 53. To this species I would also refer a 
specimen in my herbarium from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, 
Schaffner, though it lacks the purple border; also immature 
specimens collected at Cordoba, Farlow. This species also 
occurs in South America and Europe. 
A form occurs in Cuba which has been referred to the pre- 
ceding species but evidently deserves specific rank. It has 
already a specific name but may be more fully characterized as 
follows: 
10. Asterella Cubensis (Lehm.), nom. nov. 
Fimbriaria Cubanensis Lehm. in Ramon de la Sagra, Hist. fis. 
pol. y nat. de la Isla de Cuba 9: a ie 19. fig. 3. 1545. 
£. elegans, var. Cubensis G. L. N. Syn. Hep. 566. 1846. 
Gametophyte 1.5-2.5™ long, 1.5-2™ wide, pale green, 
thalloid, simple or rarely once forked, plane above or rarely 
grooved near the base, the margins occasionally purple; 
greenish or sometimes purplish beneath with a prominent 
midrib and copious root hairs; 2 branch 1™ or more high, 
slender, purple, slightly hairy; receptacle globose-conic, tuber- 
culate, with one or rarely two involucres beneath interspersed 
with a few slender hairs; inner involucre brownish white, 8-9 
cleft, the divisions coherent at their apices. Sporophyte 
dark colored, sessile; spores brown or purplish brown, 
opaque, with a paler brown margin, 95-105 in diameter; 
elaters dark brown, about twice as long as the diameter of 
the spores, bispiral. 
On hillsides, growing among mosses, Matanzas, Cuba, 
Underwood, Feb. 1891. To this species I also refer the im- 
mature specimens distributed in Hepatic Cubenses Wright- 
lane as Fimbriaria elegans. 
11. Asterella Palmeri (Aust.), nom. nov. 
imbriaria Palmeri Aust. Bull. Torr. Bot. Club 6: 47. 1875. 
Guadeloupe Island, off Lower California, Palmer. This ap- 
