( J. asplenioides.) 
BRITISH J UNGERM ANNIiE. 
ordinairement au nombre de quatre et disposes en croix. ” There can be no doubt that what 
the Abbe has here described are male fructifications, yet I have never myself observed the anthers 
(petits boutons) to be of a black color, nor that they are “ disposes en croix. ” I have not yet 
been fortunate enough to discover the anthers of J. spinulosa, but, judging from the similarity 
that exists in the female fructification of the two plants, I am induced to suspect that they 
will be found to correspond in the male also. 
The barren plants of some of the larger species of Bryum, as B. punctatum, and, more 
especially, the trailing surculi of B. cuspidatum, B. ligulatum, and B. rostraturn, may occasion- 
ally be confounded with this J ungermannia ; but, besides the different shape of the leaves, the 
nerve in those of the mosses will at once afford a distinguishing character. From Hookeria 
lucens, with the leaves of which it bears a still greater resemblance, it may always be known 
by the bifarious, and never trifarious insertion of its leaves, by their rounder figure, and by 
their strong denticulation. The Hookeria, too, has the cellules, of which the leaf is composed, 
much larger, and of a more ovate figure than J. asplenioides. Lamarck says of the plant 
before us, that it has something the habit of Hypnum adiantoides ( Fissidens Hedw), but is 
much larger, and has the leaves of a rounder figure ; an observation that will scarcely be 
considered as made with his usual happiness of remark. 
The female fructification, which in England is not of frequent occurrence, in France 
seems to be still more rare, and the authors of the Flore Francaise observe, that they have 
never themselves seen it. 
Under this species, Weber, in his Spicilegium Flora; Goettingensis, observes “ Vagina 
exterior crenata. Interior ovoidea, in altero latere spinula infra apicem inserta donata." By 
“ spinula infra apicem, ” he probably alludes to the style, which, however, I have always 
remarked to be exactly terminal. 
REFERENCES TO THE PLATE. 
FIG. 
1. Barren plant of J. asplenioides, natural size. 
2. Female plant, natural size. 
3. Extremity of the surculus of a male plant, magnified 4 
4. Portion of the surculus and leaves 4 
5. Leaf, seen from behind 4 
6. Perigonial leaf 3 
7. Calyx and perichcetial leaves 4 
8. Calyptra 3 
9. Barren pistillum 2 
10. Lower part of the peduncle, shewing the fibrous bulb at its base 2 
11. Capsule burst, discharging its seeds and spiral filaments 2 
12. Seeds and spiral filaments 1 
13. Anthers (the perigonial leaf being removed to exhibit their insertion) . . 2 
14. Single anther j 
