HEPATIC MOSSES. o6fl 



nearly as large as afterwards, but contained no trace 

 of a capsule. Being carefully opened with a lancet, 

 I plainly perceived on the inner base, which after- 

 wards bore the capsules, a number of small organs, 

 of a purple colour, pear shaped below and protracted 

 into a small cylinder, bearing great resemblance to 

 the inflorescence of Mosses. I did not, however, suc- 

 ceed in obtaining a correct representation, and when 

 again an opportunity of examination was offered to 

 me, the capsules had already begun to appear. The 

 moss continued in vigour and the capsule grew, until 

 the parching sun destroyed its vegetation. The ca- 

 lyx and frons then assumed a brownish colour, and 

 were much broken and lacerated, as if by exterior ac- 

 tion upon them. The sporangia were scattered about 

 and could be easily distinguished among the parti- 

 cles of clay on which the hepatic grew. 



I first observed this plant in great quantities on the 

 naked soil of a clayey cornfield, spreading through a 

 great extent between the hills of corn. Since I have 

 met with it ou the grassy margins of clayey bogs, but 

 not in such considerable quantity. 



In figure 1, 



a. Represents a particle of clay, with a cluster of 

 Sphaerocarpus, showing the natural size of the 

 calyces. They may be easily mistaken for young 

 plants of Gymnostomum. 



b. Represents a small cluster about double the natu- 

 ral size. 



c. An entire frons with its aggregated calyces, 



