OF CEYLON AND INDIA. 
397 
by Dr. Trimen, but incompletely, as he overlooked the 
presence of the fruit in his material ; it is buried among the 
bracts, and is indéhiscent, two almost unique features in this 
order. Large quantities of fruit may be found in the material 
distributed by him. Of the Indian species, I have only very 
incomplete material at my disposal. 
Farmeria metzgerioides (Trimen), Willis. 
(Plates XXXVI.-XXXVIII.) 
Hahitat . — This plant is extremely abundant at Hakinda, 
where it grows on smooth rocks in eddies and rapids, as a 
rule not affecting such swiftly moving water as does Hydro- 
bryum olivaceum. As usual, it is most often found alone, 
but it is frequently mixed with Lawia zey lanica, Hydrobry urn 
olivaceum, and rarely with Podostemon subulatus or others. 
It also grows in more shady places than the other species; 
I have found it in quantity along the shady right bank of the 
river below the corner at Hakinda, where the water is 
overhung by Pandani, Fici, &c., and where the sun only 
shines for a few hours in the morning. 
Dry Season Appearance . — This is shown in PI. XXXVIII. 
on the two stones in the middle. There is a narrow ribbon- 
like thallus, upcurved at the edges, like that of Hydrobryum 
lichenoides in most respects, branched right and left, but 
more sparingly and not so close to the apex, and with 
secondary shoots along the edges, these consisting of a few 
little bracts like those of Hydrobryum, and with the fruit 
concealed among them. Where a branching occurs, the 
secondary shoot is behind, not in the axil of, the branch. 
Germination and Life History . — When the water-level 
falls at the beginning of the dry season, the plant may be 
found in flower, e.^., I noticed it in flower at Hakinda 
in 9th January, 1^98, 8th January, 1899, and 17th December, 
1899. The flowers are sessile, and ripen into sessile fruits, 
each containing two seeds only, which are larger than those 
of most of the order. The fruit does not dehisce, but 
