3f>2 ON TWO REMARKABLE 



Capsula in funilo calycis sessili, sphaerica, quadru- 

 plo-minori,emembranatenuissimadiapl!anaconfecta. 

 continenti Sporangia numerosa e globoso-lenticu- 

 laria, inter se libera, quasi quadricocca, superiicie 

 grannlata (a sporis globosis inclusis) ac muricato-ex- 

 asperata. Fronde reticulata, subdiaphana, substan- 

 tia calycis, etiamque viridissima. 



Observations. The Frons or Thallus of this he- 

 patic is very small in proportion to the large calyces 

 with which it is so entirely overgrown, in densely ag- 

 gregated clusters, that it can only be distinguished 

 with difficulty. The whole plant, therefore, appears 

 to the naked eye as an aggregate of longitudinally con- 

 fluent clusters of small green turbinately globular bo- 

 dies, occupyiug sometimes patches of nearly an 

 hand's breadth on the earth. On close examination, 

 however, the frons is found to consist of some small 

 thickish, variously lobed leaves, with a few of an 

 ovate, acuminate shape and uniform consistence 

 throughout. The structure of this frons, exactly the 

 same with that of the calyces, consists of a beautiful 

 and curiously wrought network, mostgeuerally form- 

 ing irregular pentagons. The intermediate space be- 

 tween the green pellucid veins, is, to appearance, 

 closed by a thin, slightly concave membrane, which 

 appears only semi-transparent. From the central 

 part of each separate frons, numerous very delicate 

 radicles proceed, forming a dense tuft, very short, 

 however, by which it adheres almost inextricably to 

 the subjacent earth. At all seasons in which 1 have 

 observed this hepatic — that is to say, from the mid 





