2 
Shiv Rain Kashyap . 
that these plants have adopted a xerophilous mode of life which is 
not suitable for their mode of sexual reproduction, as water is 
essential for this purpose. That they are xerophilous is shown by 
the many adaptations to enable them to pass through a dry period 
enumerated in the list given in the beginning of these notes. Only 
2 species out of the 27 thallose liverworts found by the writer at 
Mussoorie are (doubtfully) annual—a species of Anthoceros and a 
species of Notothylas. All the Marchantiales can persist and what 
is more important do persist throughout the dry period in one way 
or another. This discontinuance of sexual reproduction may in its 
turn have led to reduction in the thallus and the sporophyte. 
I now go on to describe some other interesting forms met with 
in the same region. 
CRYPTOMITRIUM HIMALAYENSE Kashyap, n.sp. (Fig. 1). 
Plants monoecious, yellowish green, creeping, attached to the 
substratum along the narrow midrib only, or attached only at the 
base, once or twice forked. Lobes up to 6 mm. long, 6 to 7 mm. 
broad, midrib narrow, wings thin broad, margin irregularly and 
bluntly crenate. Apex cordate. Dorsal surface areolated; stomata 
slightly raised, in a few areoles only, one in each, surrounded by 
three rings of eight hyaline cells each. Air-chambers in one layer 
only, having only a single layer of cells above and below (roof and 
floor) throughout the broad wings. Scales minute, hyaline or 
greenish, ovate, distant, in two rows, margin of scale toothed 
occasionally, apex with a filament of 5 or 6 cells, cells of scale 
contain chloroplasts. 
Antheridia in the median dorsal groove 2- or 3-seriate behind 
the female receptacle and on an adjacent lobe which does not form 
a female receptacle. Papillae very small, inconspicuous. 
Female receptacle usually on one lobe of a fork. Stalk with 
one deep groove, up to 3 mm. long and with 6 to 8 ridges. Receptacle 
thin, broad, circular with irregularly toothed margin, slightly convex 
in the centre, margin in the ripe state very often curved upwards. 
Stomata barrel-shaped. Involucres 2 to 4, most often 3, archegonia 
2 in each. Sporogonia 1 to 3, foot and seta small, capsule wholly 
included. Operculum 600// in diameter, definite, 2-layered; annulus 
cells 20 to 25// in diameter; cells of capsule wall 50 to 80// x 20//. 
Spores brown, 55 to 60//, broadly reticulate-lamellate, border 
hyaline. Elaters 350 to 400//, closely trispiral. 
The plant is interesting on account of its peculiar habitat and 
consequent modification of thallus structure and the possession of 
