HEPETIC.E AND ALG.E. 
347 
Hepaticce or liverworts. 
The 3d order contains the Liverworts, which are more suc- 
culent or juicy than the mosses ; they have four valved capsules, 
which circumstance, and that of the capsule not opening with 
a lid distinguish them from the mosses. Their name, Hepaticae, 
signifies liver ; but it is not yet known whether they received 
that name on account of some supposed virtue in curing dis- 
eases of the liver, or whether it was because they were thought 
to resemble the lobes or divisions of the liver. One of the 
most common genera, of this order is the Jungermannia j you 
may here see (Fig. 49.) a species of this, the complanata 
with its parts as represented under a magnifier. 
Fig. 49. 
(a) A plant of natural size in fruit. (6) The fruit magnified, 
showing the sheath, the peduncle rising from it, and the capsule 
at top not yet burst, (c) The capsule splitting and discharging 
the seeds. (d) The capsule empty, showing its four valves. 
A Igte, or sea weeds. 
The 4th order includes the sea weeds and frog spittle ; these 
have leathery fronds, with finedust-like seed, enclosed in inflated 
portionsof the frond. They are almost always aquatics, generally 
green or reddish. One genus of this family is the Fucus, in 
the plural Faci ; these plants with some others of this order, 
swim on the waters of the ocean. The fuccs natars, some- 
times called the gulf-weed, is very abundant in the Gulf of 
Florida ; and is found in various parts of the ocean, forming 
masses or floating fields, many miles in extent. The plant 
seems to possess no distinct root, though it perhaps originally 
vegetated on some sea-beaten shore from whence it was, 
“ Flung from the rock on Ocean’s face to sail, 
Where’er the surge may sweep, the tempest’s breath prevail.” 
Liverworts — Derivation of the name — Sea weeds — Fuci — Gulf weed. — 
