300 



HEPATICE^E. 



General Remarks on Jungermannia. 



Jungermannia of all the genera of Hepaticae is that which 

 approaches most to Musci, agreeing with this order especially 

 in the structure of its pistilla, and in the inverted origin of 

 the Theca. It is in fact as much a vaginulate genus, as any 

 genus Musci 



The cells of the endothecum are in all the instanc es I have 

 examined fibrous, and it is curious too, that its colour is owing 

 to the colour of the theca, and that it always agrees in this res- 

 pect, both with the elaters and sporules. 



In Jungermannia epiphylla, the transition from the cells of 

 the endothecum, to perfect elaters, is well shewn. This fact I 

 was aware of early in 1832. 



With regard to the insertion of the leaves, these in all in- 

 stances are oblique, and form nearly half a spire round the ax- 

 is. The upper margin is usually anticous, but in some in- 

 stances it is posticous. 



Although the accessary leaves forming the third -rank in so- 

 many species, are generally situated posticously, yet the in- 

 verse is sometimes the case. To call these appendages stipulse, 

 is in direct violation of all laws of analogy. Not only are they 

 single organs, but almost always are only appended to the 

 leaves of one side, and hence alternate, but they frequently are 

 inserted on different planes with the leaves. The only analo- 

 gy they have with the usual form of stipulae, is in extending 

 over the surface destined to promote aeration. 



The transition from the leaves into the perianth, may be al- 

 ways traced, in some, very distinctly ; it is remarkable that 

 perianthia appear to be only present in those, the pistilla of 

 which are solitary. This is exactly the reverse of that which 

 we would be led to expect. 



The appendages visible on the inferior margins of the leaves 

 of many, are nothing but lobes the margins of which, except at 

 the base, cohere intimately. It is singular that these lobes be- 

 come again expanded in the perigonial, and perianthial leaves 



