New and Little Known West-H imalayan L iverworts. 217 
on the whole it appears that it need not he separated (see footnote 
below). The chief difference lies in the form of the male receptacle 
hut there are minor differences in the vegetative region as well. 
The plant is very variable as regards its form. In shady moist 
places where it attains greatest luxuriance it forms masses of deep 
green overlapping individuals which are fixed only by their bases to 
the substratum. They are 20 mm. or more long and often dichoto- 
mously divided. The scales and the involucre are dark purple. In 
exposed and moist places the plants grow similarly but have a light- 
green and even yellowish colour, and are almost always once or 
twice dichotomously blanched. They are, however, smaller, often 
less than 10 mm. in length. The involucre and the scales are 
hyaline, or only pink. Often only the appendage of the scale is 
pink, while the rest of the scale is hyaline. This diminution of 
colour in the exposed places is surprising. One might have thought 
that the colour would be deeper. Mucilage cells are usually found 
projecting from the margins of the scales. In dry and exposed places 
the plants are firmly fixed to the substratum by the whole of the 
ventral surface and give off a few straggling branches. In all cases 
the scales may sometimes be slightly overlapping. There is another 
difference between the plants in shady and exposed places which 
concerns the relative size of the spores and elaters. The spores 
and elaters, in plants growing in shady places are respectively, 
30 to 40 /a, and 140 to 180/a ; whereas in plants found in exposed places 
they are 25 to 30/a and 180 to 200/a. 
The number of archegonia is up to seven in each involucre 
which may develop one or two ripe sporogonia. The apex of the 
capsule has short elater-like cells attached to it, but the involucre 
has no tooth-like interlocking processes as described by Cavers. 1 
A few elaters slightly shorter than the normal ones are usually 
found fixed at the base of the capsule. The seta is very short and 
the capsule does not come out of the involucre. 
The antheridia are found usually on the well known ventral 
shoots in plants growing in shady places. Each shoot has a 
cylindrical stalk and a terminal disc studded with antheridial 
chambers separated by assimilation tissue and possessing numerous 
scales ventrally. Sometimes, however, these discs develop wings 
on both sides so that they become terminal and are surrounded by 
scales on all sides (Fig. 2, a, b). The scales surrounding these male 
r “ Contributions to the Biology of the Hepaticae,” Leeds and London, 
1904, p. 8. (Following a suggestion made by Dr. Cavers, I have given my form 
the varietal name integenima on account of the entire margin of the involucre). 
