BRITISH JUNGERMANNIiE. 
r j. ventricosa. J 
Capsule ovate, deep brown, furrowed. 
Seeds and spiral filaments of a fulvous brown color ; the former exactly spherical, the latter 
composed of a double helix. 
Obs. The spherical clusters of gemma (f. 12), which form one of the most sti iking 
features of this species, are situated at the points of the terminal leaves, both of the 
main branches and of the young shoots; they are, when perfect, so compact as to 
resemble little pale yellow-green balls; when scattered about, however, they are found 
to be composed of extremely minute, angular, pellucid granules (f. 13). 
Few Jungermannioe seem to be less understood than the present species, which, indeed, is not 
much to be wondered at, when we consider the close affinity it bears with J. cxcisa; from 
which it may be distinguished by its larger size, more branched habit, the involute margins of 
the leaves, and the abundant and very conspicuous gemmaceous globules. Of this species the 
capsules are extremely rare, though calyces are frequently to be met with, which, like the sterile 
calyces of J. inflata, fall from the plant with a very slight touch. 
Mr. Dickson first discovered this species in Britain, and ascertained it to be the “Jungermannia 
minima, repens, fioliis bifidis, vagina fiorum ventricosa of Miclieli; and it appeals to me that 
the cc Jungermannia minor, repens, fioliis subrotundis, bifidis, vagina fiorum cylindi acea, of the same 
author, may be referred to with equal propriety. With regard to the figures, they cannot 
certainly be considered as accurate representations of the plant ; and what Micheli says of 
f. 15, applies also, to f. 13, “ Ipsa planta duplh minor est quhm exprimit Icon.” The gemmae are 
particularly ill done, and seem to indicate that the clusters are supported by a footstalk. Dillenius 
has done no more than copy the Michelian figure and description. Roth, under his J. globulifera, 
has, as it appears to me, and as I have already had occasion to mention, described three species; 
the' present, J.exsecta, and J. excisa. Pollich’s plant above quoted, ought, perhaps, rather to be 
referred to under this species, than under J. bicuspidata, where I have also quoted it, though in 
both instances with a mark of interrogation. I have inserted Ti mine’s J. globulifera, as a 
synonym solely upon the authority of Roth. The plant of Haller can hardly be doubted, 
especially as he quotes f. xxv. of the Diss. Jung, of Schmidel, which I think may with equal 
certainty be said to belong to J ventricosa. The excellent writer last mentioned has, never- 
theless, confounded it with J. bidentata, and Weber has made it his var. y, of the same species. 
Haller and Weber say that they have observed the globules of the gemmae to be confined to one 
point of the leaf, whilst Necker very justly remarks, that they are common to both. 
