VOL. XX. (3) THE HEPATICS OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE 
223 
THE HEPATICS OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE. 
BY 
H. H. KNIGHT, M.A. 
The only previous list of the Hepatics of the county is in a 
paper by the Rev. H. P. Reader on “ The Hepaticae of Glouces- 
tershire ” in the Journal of Botany, 1885. This list is repeated 
in Witchell and Strugnell’s Fauna and Flora of Gloucestershire, 
1892. Mr. Reader has given me additions and corrections to 
this list. Miss Armitage, of Dadnor near Ross, has given me 
some records from the part of the county about Symond’s 
Yat, and I have had a few records from the Herbarium of the 
late Rev. Augustin Ley. 
The distribution of Hepatics in the county depends on the 
geological formation. On the primary formations (Silurian, 
Old Red Sandstone, and Carboniferous) they are plentiful both 
in number of individuals and species, while on the secondary 
formations (Triassic and Jurassic) they are scarce, and the 
few species that do occur are often found only sparingly. The 
best ground is the part of the county bordering the River Wye, 
and here only are found the Western or Atlantic species : 
Plagiochila spinulosa, Saccogyna viticulosa, Lepidozia pinnata, 
Scapania gracilis, and Phragmicoma Mackaii. 
When we come to the secondary formations, the most 
interesting district is the Keuper Sandstone near Newent. 
The most noteworthy plants here are the species of Sphcero- 
carpus and Riccia, which grow in cultivated fields. 
The low ground on each side of the River Severn, consisting 
of Keuper Marls and Lower Lias Clay, is barren as far as 
Hepatics are concerned. There is little here except a few 
common species, which grow on trees. 
On the Cotteswolds there are a few calcareous species 
scattered over the district, but here the best ground is the 
