LI FUR WORTS OF THE WESTERN HIMALAYAS. 349 



in dense patches, occasionally singly and spreading when in open space. 

 Thalhis once or twice forked, compact, light green, up to 5 mm. long. Lobes 

 oblong obtuse 2 mm. long and 2 mm. broad. Transverse section oblong. 

 Dorsal surface with a broad median channel. Ventral surface hyaline or 

 blackish, broad, flat, or slightly convex. "Wings thick. Cilia usually present 

 on the margins and occasionally also on the dorsal surface. Epidermal 

 cells spherical. Scales small and hyaline, almost overlapping, not project- 

 ing beyond the margins. Ehizoids both tuberculate and smooth. Anthe- 

 ridia globular or slightly elliptic ; papillce slightly projecting, hyaline, in 2 

 or 3 rows in the channel. Sporogonia also in the channel in 2 or 3 rows 

 with very little vegetative tissue between them, visible dorsally. As many 

 as six capsules were sometimes found in one group touching each other 

 without any green tissue between them, the small amount which was prob- 

 ably present in the beginning having been disorganised. Spores tetra- 

 hedral, reticulate with eight areoles in the diameter, papUlose in profile, 

 margin slightly and irregularly crenate, 95u. 



Allied to R. bifurca and R. lescuriania. 



Habitat. — On the banks of a stream near Pathankot. 



Riccia hiinalayensis, St. n. sp. Dioecious. Plants once or twice forked,, 

 compact, closely creeping, about 5 mm. long. Lobes linear or oblong.' 

 Dorsal surface green with a deep narrow median sulcus. Ventral surface 

 purple, midrib convex projecting downwards. Margins often purple, entire, 

 bent downwards. Scales small, semilunar, distant, purple or hyaline ; 

 rhizoids both smooth and tuberculate. Sporogonia in a single median row, 

 spore coming out by the rupture of the dorsal tissue. Spores tetrahedral, 

 finely reticulate, 9-10 reticulations in the diameter, margin narrow, entire, 

 maxmium diameter lOOu. Antheridia in one median row, papillae long, 

 red, projecting, conspicuous. 



This species is probably identical with R. discolor L. et L. The plant was 

 sent by the writer to Professor Stephani and named by him. 



Habitat. — Mussoorie, very common ; Pathankot ; Garhwal, common. 



The apex at the end of the season grows down into the soil and becomes 

 thick. Next year it again grows upwards. 



The plant is attacked by an ascomycetous fungus which forms sunken 

 perithecia with projecting necks on the dorsal surface. These perithecia are 

 easily mistaken for sporogonia, but the latter do not proj'ect in Riccia. The 

 perithecia are full of asci each containing 2-celled spores. The fungus , 

 appears to belong to the Valsacese. 



Riccia sanguinea, Kashyap n. sp. , 



Dioecious. Male plants minute, red, linear, undivided, or once or twice 

 forked, or forming red or greenish rosettes always smaller than female 

 plants ; papdlse red conspicuous. Female plants usually green in large 

 compact rosettes often overlapping in dense clusters. Rosettes up to 



Fig. 5. — Riccia sanguinea x 3. A. male ; B. female. 



