ON THE BUXBAUMIA AFliYLLA. 445 



at the summit. Before the filaments separate, they 

 appear to be frequently jointed ; more rarely so 

 afterwards. 



The second kind of leaf (fig. 4.) is more common 

 than the first, as far as I have hitherto experienced; 

 but the structure is no less singular. The lower 

 part is strongly reticulated, — the reticulations very 

 irregular, and the bars or cellular divisions remark- 

 able, — being uniform in their diameter, which is 

 considerable, smooth, semitransparent, and of a pe- 

 culiar inflated appearance, difficult to describe or 

 represent. Before the leaf begins to contract, the 

 reticulations cease, and a number of conferva-like 

 filaments are produced, which seem to be seldom, 

 if ever, jointed, but are long, and generally much 

 entangled ; so that it is difficult to obtain a leaf for 

 examination, free from a mass of filaments, belong- 

 ing either to old or adjoining leaves. In conse- 

 quence of this entanglement, added to their mi- 

 nuteness, I have not yet been able to discover the 

 true form of the leaves of Buxbaumia ; all that I 

 have examined having been more or less damaged. 



The colour of all the leaves is a light green, tin- 

 ged with a brown that increases in age ; but the 

 filaments are even then generally diaphanous, and 

 exactly resemble the dark-coloured filaments that 

 are to be met with on every specimen, towards the 

 upper part of the bulb. I regret exceedingly, that 

 I was not able to show the first kind of leaf to Mr 

 Stewart, having lost the one I made the drawing 



