OUR BRITISH JUN GERMANNIJE . 
495 
also, its foliage still paler, its steins tender in the extreme ; it 
is slightly branched, its calyx and calyptra are large in pro- 
portion to the rest of the plant, and deeply cnt ; the footstalk 
is long and the receptacle oval. The fruit was formed, but not 
opened in February (No. 6). Higher up the rock, but also 
sheltered by mosses, flourish the minute but sturdy stems of 
the J. obtusifolia (No. 10). These stems are not branched, and 
stand almost upright. The leaves are divided into two rounded 
lobes; the smaller is turned in front of the stem, and the larger 
wraps round to the back, thus giving the appearance of two 
rows of leaves on either side the stem. The fruit springs from 
the end of the stems, but it does not appear till much later in 
the year. Ascending yet higher on the rock, to a level with your 
own shoulder, you find a still more minute Jungermannia 
covering the stone in filmy patches of pale gTeen. This is the 
J. rep tans (No. 7) ; it is a fairy-like plant, its main stem and 
plentiful branches only occupying about a quarter of an inch. 
The lens shows the leaves to be placed alternately on either 
side the stem, each cut into four sharp points. A paler film, 
studded with minute oval objects, which prove on examination 
to be calvptrae, and from which issue numerous glassy threads, 
bearing a forest of microscopic brown crosses, proves to be a 
patch of J. connivens (No. 3) ; every tiny leaf standing forth 
as a perfect crescent under the microscope, though the naked 
eye can hardly distinguish the perfect plant from an Alga, 
except the fructification be present. 
The trees form favourite habitats for the Jungermanniae. In 
the Chase Wood we find not only the J. furcata on the bark 
near the roots, but large patches of a closely interlaced Liver- 
wort. On this mild February day the foliage is a bright 
green ; the forked branches bear calyptne on their summits, 
from whence issue very short foot-stalks bearing slightly oval 
receptacles ; or, if these have burst, crosses of four blunt 
valves. This is the J. complanata (No. 4). Upon the same 
tree possibly, or failing that, on a very near neighbour. Liver- 
wort patches of a very different hue are flourishing and dis- 
playing their seed-vessels. The overlapping leaves, with their 
rounded forms and unbroken margins, show an affinity with 
the J. complanata j but a marked difference will be seen on 
applying the lens, for beneath each leaf is a rounded stipule, 
proving it to belong to the Stipulate division of the foliaceous 
group. This Jungermannia spreads in wide patches, generally 
of a reddish hue : J. dilatata (No. 8). 
The wood grows thicker, and we find ourselves descending 
between oozj^ banks of red earth. Here a partial greenness 
tempts us to a closer inspection, and we recognize tiny crosses 
of warm brown. We feel sure we have got a Jungermannia, 
but we must apply the lens before learning its form. The 
