218 



MEMOIRS OF THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[VOL. 11 



Micrisophylla Fulford, Brittonia 14: 124. 1962. 



Lepidozia auctt. p.p. 

 Isotachis auctt. p.p. 



Plants of small to medium size, erect or ascending; stems slender, long, irregu- 

 larly branched, the lateral branches on one side of the stem of the Frullania type, 

 with the usually bifid half-leaf dorsal, and on the other side, of the Microlepidozia 

 type with the bifid half-leaf ventral ; ventral branches intercalary axillary, leafy, 

 or microphyllous to flagelliform with scale-like leaves, or short sexual, or very 

 pale and enlarged and turgid, or as very long, simple or branched stolons with 

 three rows of tiny scales and tufts of colorless rhizoid. Stem in transverse section 

 with a unistratose cortical layer of about 12 cells (18 or 24 cells in M. cuculli- 

 folia), larger and with thicker walls than the cells of the medulla. Rhizoids from 

 the scale-leaves of flagelliform branches or the leaves of the stolons. Line of 

 leaf insertion transverse. Leaves and underleaves symmetric or nearly so, sub- 

 quadrate to cuneate in outline, quadrifid to one-half of their length; segments 

 long, triangular, the cells quadrate to rectangular in outline, the walls uniformly 

 thickened. Plants dioicous; male inflorescence on a short ventral sexual branch or 

 terminal, becoming intercalary on a longer leafy branch, the bracts and bracteoles 

 in five to ten series; antheridia one or two in the axils of the bracts; female 

 inflorescence more or less trigonous, terminal on the main stem, a lateral branch, 

 a long leafy ventral branch, a pale, enlarged, turgid ventral branch, or a short 

 ventral sexual branch, the stem below the perianth often becoming enlarged, and 

 turgid, for some distance; bracts and bracteoles similar, different from the leaves 

 and underleaves, in three or four series, more or less keeled. Perianth 3^ mm 

 long, cylindrical below, contracted and three-keeled above. Shoot/sporophyte 

 relationship a shoot-calyptra. Mature sporophyte not seen. 



Type species: Lepidozia setiformis De Notaris. 



The genus has several primitive or at least unspecialized characters. The 

 stems are erect, radially symmetric or nearly so, while in most of the other 

 genera of the family there is a considerable difference in size and often in form 

 between the leaves and underleaves. The position of the female inflorescence 

 varies even on one stem, while in most of the genera it is restricted to a short 

 ventral, axillary intercalary sexual branch. The genus has an Antarctic 

 distribution. 



Key to the Species 



1. Bases of the leaf segments five to ten cells across. 



2. Leaves erect-spreading, the segments only slightly incurved; stem with a layer of 



12 large cortical cells. 1. M. setiformis. 

 2. Leaves deeply concave, the segments strongly incurved; stems with a layer of 20-24 



large cortical cells. 4. M. cucullifolia. 

 1. Bases of the leaf segments mostly four cells across. 



2. Cells of the leaf segments mostly 18 X 18 m- 2. M. saddlcnsis. 



2. Cells of the leaf segments mostly 30-36 n X 18-22 3. M. mollis. 



1. Micrisophylla setiformis (De Notaris) Fulford, Brittonia 14: 127. /. 66-82. 

 1962. 



Lejridozia setijormis De Notaris, Mem. Real. Acad. Torino 16: 225. /. 13. 1857. 

 Mastigophora setijormis, Trevisan, Mem. 1st. Lomb. III. 4: 416. 1877. 

 Lepidozia obscura Angstrom ex Stephani, Spec. Hep. 3 : 602. 1909; Icon. Hep., Leindozia 

 No. 137. 



