257 



A NEW BEITISH HEPATIC. 



By W. H. Pearson. 

 (Plate 327.) 



Marsupella (Cesia) conferta (Limpricht) Spruce. Sarcoscyphus 

 confertm Limpricht, Jahrb. Schles. Ges. (1880), 313. Gymno- 

 mitrium confertum ejusd. Flora, n. 5 (1881). Marsupella conferta 



(Limpr.) Spruce, Rev. Bryol. n. 6, 95 (1881). — Autoicous, cespitose 

 or straggling among mosses, pale yellowish green to reddish 

 brown in colour. Stems simple or branched, prostrate, flexuose, 

 filiform, terete, denudate at the base ; branches short, ascending ; 

 about 10 cells in diameter ; cortical cells with slightly firmer walls ; 

 radiculose ; rootlets fasciculate, short, ascending to apex of the 

 stem, few, more frequent below, dull white or reddish purple. 

 Leaves closely imbricate, bifarious, from a vaginate base, appressed, 

 erect, on fertile stems gradually accrescent, oval, bifid to about 

 one-fifth ; sinus and segments acute ; texture firm ; epidermis 

 smooth ; cells very minute to minute, roundish-quadrate or in- 

 distinctly 5-6-angled ; walls thick ; trigones large and distinct. 

 $ terminal, on short branches or on main stem ; bracts larger 

 than the leaves, oval or ovali-rotund, the innermost bracts free (or 

 sometimes united into a tube, R. S.), small, tender ; margin irregular. 

 Archegonia 5-10, dispersed over the calyptra. Pedicel long, thick. 

 Capsule dark brown, almost spherical. Spores yellowish brown, 

 granulate. Elaters 3-4- spiral, sometimes furcate. Androecia 

 spicate, situated on the main stem or on short branches. $ bracts 

 ovate, a little swollen at the base ; antheridia solitary, stipitate. 



Dimensions. — Stems from \ to 1 in. long, with leaves '5 mm. 

 broad ; diam. of stem -2 mm., leaves -65 mm. x *5 mm., segments 

 •125 mm., -6 x -45, seg. -125, -5 X -4, seg. -125, cells -01 mm. 



•015 mm. x 01 mm., sub-bracts *45 mm. x '45 mm., -5 mm. x 

 •45 mm., bracts *75 mm. x '45 mm., segments # 1 mm., -65 x -5, 

 seg. '1, '65 x 5, sesr. "15, perigonial bract -55 mm. x -425 mm., 

 seg. '1 mm., antheridia 125 mm. X 075 mm. 



Habitat. — Grows in depressed tufts, or straggling among mosses, 

 on Ben Nevis, Scotbmd, at about 4000 ft., Mr. W. West, 12th Aug. 

 1880. Found also in alpine situations on the Continent. 



Obs. — The British form differs from any of the continental 

 specimens I have seen in its larger size, but, as it agrees in its 

 autoicous inflorescence, <y and $ on the same plant, but on 

 different branches, and in the shape and texture of the leaves, 

 I have little doubt they are one and the same species. Herr 

 Limpricht, the founder of the species, described it at first as a 

 Sarcoscyphus (Marsupella), with a distinct perianth, but soon after- 

 wards referred it to the genus, or, as Dr. Spruce maintains, 

 subgenus, Gymnomitrium (Cesia). In carefully examining every 

 stem sent me by Mr. West, I met with two fertile ones which 

 appeared to have true perianths, but the specimens were weathered 

 and too imperfect to rely upon ; others, as figured, well represent 



Journal of Botany.— Vol. 30. [Sept. 1892.] s 



