BRITISH JUNGERMANNIiE. 
( J. asplenioides. J 
of fibres I have remarked upon the peduncles of two or three large exotic species 
of the genus. 
Capsule ovate, dark purplish-brown, approaching to black, opening with four equal 
lanceolate valves, each of which is marked with longitudinal furrows (f. 11). 
Seeds spherical, reddish-brown: spiral filaments of the same color, and formed of a 
double helix (f. 12). 
Almost every author has followed Linnaeus in making the “ Lichenaslrum Asplenii facie, 
pinnis confertioribus ” (Hist. Muse. p. 483. 6), a variety of the present plant. Dillenius, who 
was induced to describe it as a distinct species only out of deference to preceding botanists, 
remarks “ simillima est liaec praecedenti (J. asplen.), nec ab eh distinguitur, nisi quod folia 
densihs nascantur et magis imbricatim invicem imponantur, nervum magis protegentia, pin- 
narum extremitatibus et margine interiore evidentius crenatis et quasi spinosis.” — These 
little differences in the leaves are to be found not only upon plants growing in the same 
patch, but are even to be met with on the same individual, so that I have not thought it 
proper to retain these even as varieties. The Miclielian synonym Jungermannia major, foliis 
brevioribus et obtusioribus non dentatis, and that of Vaillant, Ilepaticoides Polytrichi facie, I 
have excluded from the references here made, because, both from the descriptions and figures 
of their respective authors, I am led to consider the plant they allude to as J. polyanthos, 
rather than J. asplenioides. 
This species, though sufficiently well marked to render it needless for me here to point out 
its distinguishing characters, is, nevertheless, in general habit, in the strong denticulation 
of the leaves, and more particularly in the circumstance of the opening of the calyx not being 
confined to its extremity, but continued a little way down on one side, nearly allied to J. spi- 
nulosa; and it is not improbable but they may hereafter constitute a distinct genus, apart 
from every British species at least, founded upon characters taken fiom the form of the calyx. 
To these, in some respects, Swartz’s AVest. Indian Jungerniannice adiantoides and patula, bear 
a considerable affinity; but in both of them the calyx is described as formed “ e foliolis con- 
niventibus, ” as is the case in J. juniperina of Swartz and of this work, in J emarginata of 
Ehrhart, and in J. scalaris ; but not in J. asplenioides. 
The situation of the male flowers in the different species of the genus is well worthy of 
attention. The present is one of the few species belonging to a division that I am acquainted 
with, with simple leaves, in which the perigonial leaves take a different form from the rest, 
and/ by their bifarious and closely-imbricated disposition, are rendered conspicuous at first 
sight. These, however, according to the observations of Hedwig, fall off when they are no 
longer wanted to protect the anthers: “ calvus est in caule locus, ubi flos fuerat; nam teg- 
mina antherarum subinde cadunt, vel consumuntur.” The anthers of J. asplenioides have also 
been seen by M. L’ Abbe Hauy, in France, as we learn from the Encyclopedic Methodique. The 
words of this gentleman are " Cette plante porte sur la partie posterieure de l'extremite des 
rameaux, qui ont pris un certain accroissement, de petits boutons ou des points noirs tres- 
sensibles, portes par des especcs de pcdicules fort courts ct applatis Ces points sont 
