(J. platyphylla.J BRITISH JUNGEIIM ANNLE. 
Spiral filaments (f. 21) fulvous, apparently enveloped in a delicate, pellucid tube; but 
whether Qr not these are affixed to the ends of the valves, or, as I rather suspect, 
to various parts of the interior of the capsule, I have been unable to determine. 
The variety (3, major, is remarkable for the size of its foliage, which is twice as large as that of a., 
and for its being throughout glossy : the stems are equally irregularly pinnate. 
For. y has the stems much elongated and regularly, though distantly, pinnated with short and 
horizontal ramuli, that are mostly simple. The leaves gradually, at least in many instances, 
become less, as they approach the extremity of the plant, and are glossy, and, in all the 
specimens that have come under my observation, of a yellow-brown color. — The two varieties 
differ in no other particulars from a; and intermediate states, even of these, shew that the marks 
here laid down are by no means strictly to be depended upon. 
J. platyphylta, which in Britain is extremely abundant, and is said, by Dillenius, also to be a 
native of Virginia and Pensylvania, is subject to considerable variation in appearance, whence some 
botanists have been led to form from it two species, which seem, indeed, at first, sight, sufficiently 
distinct, yet, on a more minute investigation, it will be readily ascertained in how slight a degree a 
character taken from the general habit is to be depended upon. Perhaps even the J. Icevigata of 
Schrader and of this work ought to be considered as a fourth variety : but as I have already, under 
that species, expressed my doubts, as well as pointed out the only differences that I have been able 
to find between them, it w ill be unnecessary for me here to repeat either the one or the other. There 
is no other Jungermannia that I am acquainted with, with which there is the least chance of 
J. platyphylla being confounded. With regard to its affinity, I am at a loss to say to which of the 
families it naturally belongs in the division of “ Stipulates, foliis ineequaliter bilobis, lobis inferioribus 
minorihus plants for, while, on the one hand, it resembles J. tomentella and ciliaris in the 
structure of its foliage, on the other, it greatly differs from them in its fructification; and in the 
short valves of the capsule agrees with a veiy natural family, consisting of J. serpyllifolia, 
J. hamatifolia, J. calyptrifolia, and J. minutissima, which in other respects it is, nevertheless, 
extremely unlike. 
1 have omitted, in the above synonyms, many references to the older botanists, which are 
mentioned in Dillenius and Micheli, because, from their short and imperfect characters, it is not 
possible to quote them with the least chance of being correct. Micheli’s figures are more to be 
t lusted than his descriptions. His representation of the ramuli, containing the male fructification, 
is very accurate, as is his description. The anthers, it is well known, he looked upon as the seeds, 
and of these he says, that they are found “ non in extern!! foliorum parte, sed recondita in sinu 
squamarum cujusdam fruetfis, qui locustarum Graminis amoris formam prae se ferens, per surculos 
yel per plantas non floriferas innasci solet.” His figure of the var. Thuja is much larger than I have 
