294 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



common with this organ as it exist in this order. But un- 

 less attention be paid to its earlier stages of existence, a su- 

 perficial examination may easily lead one to suppose it to be 

 a true calyptra. 



I know of no analogy to the membrane, but it appears to 

 me to be one of the very numerous means of adaptation, resort- 

 ed to in cases of anomalous conformation. 1 look upon it as 

 a fecundating, or rather conducting membrane, by which the 

 influence of the granular contents of the anthers, are enabled 

 to act upon a point which it is obvious they could not other- 

 wise possibly reach. I may mention as a curious fact, that 

 the cells of the surface of the apex, at least of the convexities, 

 contain no green parenchyma. See fig. 5, PI. LXXV. E. and 

 moreover, that they have a tendency, though slight, to the 

 appearance of sphacelation. 



The formation of the sporula is now so well known, that 

 any further description is needless. It would appear however, 

 that occasionally, the nucleus is formed by the caulescence of 

 3 or 5 granular puncta. The various stages of their evolu- 

 tion are associated with a tendency to the dislocation of the 

 tissue of the capsule itself, proceeding from below, where the 

 cells are adherent, to the apex where they are laxly packed. 



Connected with this genus, are several other interesting 

 points which I have neglected. But I must observe, that all 

 the observations given above, were made during the sufficient- 

 ly hurried marches of our Deputation to assam. 

 Assam, 1836. 



Affghan Hepaticce. 



With the exception of Marchantia polymorphia from Upper 

 Kaloo, without fructification, (No. 28, of the annexed list) all 

 the species of Marchantia are from the extreme eastern parts 

 of Affghanisthan, a locality where, (as will be often mentioned,) 

 there is a curious mixture of Affghan and Himalayan vege- 

 tation, the former prevailing in the valleys and the lower hills, 

 while the latter is almost exclusively prevalent above an eleva- 

 tion of 5,500 ft. 



