266 
Review. 
Alicularia Geoscyplins has a form of shady or moist ground 
which is the var. snberecta (=Jungermannia silverettce ); in inter¬ 
mediate habitats all stages between the type and the variety can he 
found and “ it cannot always be distinguished from the typical 
plant ” (3). 
No varieties are given for Gymnocolea inflata, but from the way 
in which varietal names have been bestowed, some of its forms 
have a right to be classed as varieties, since a great difference 
exists between the two extremes, the form compacta of dry situations, 
and the form natans which occurs as free-swimming tufts in pools. 
Lepidozia pinnata has a var. minor , whilst the equally distinct 
laxer state is merely referred to as form Inxa, the lax form of 
Lopliozia Schultzii being styled var. laxa. The confusion between 
the greenish, less-toothed forms of Scapania dentata (more familiar 
as S. purpurascens) and the purplish, more or less toothed forms of 
S.undulata is avoided by placing the “intermediates” in the var. 
ambigua of the former, a procedure which is certainly warranted by 
my experience of the plants, though it leaves some room for doubt 
as to the specific distinction between undulata and dentata. The 
larger-celled form of Chiloscyphus polyanthus, which has been so 
often mistaken for C. pallescens is called var .fragilis. 
These criticisms are not in any sense, to be taken as pointing 
out defects in the work, but as indicating the different points of 
view that may be considered by other hepaticologists in using 
specific and varietal names. Mr. Macvicar is too good an ecologist 
to be dictatorial in such matters, and many of the names used have 
doubtless been adopted after some hesitation, and in some cases 
he may have sunk his own personal opinion below that of other 
writers. 
It is extremely interesting to note, that owing to the aid and 
stimulus which this work has given to British students since its 
publication, seven species and one variety have been added to our 
Hepatic flora, and that most of these were mentioned in the 
attractive foot-notes as likely to occur in our isles. Marsupella 
apiculata, Lopliozia longidora and Diplophyllum gyinnostopliilum 
have been found in the Scottish Highlands, Lopliozia confertifolia 
in N. Ireland and Sussex, Cephaloziella Douini in Kent, C. pnlchella 
in Northants and Yorkshire, and Riccia commutata and its variety 
acrotricha in Sussex. This is a striking testimony to the value of 
the work, which gives not only descriptive notes and excellent keys 
of the genera and species, but is also well-indexed and ably 
illustrated by W. G. Jameson, to whom, as well as to the author, 
the British students of these plants feel a deep debt of gratitude. 
W. WATSON. 
(1) . Pearson, W. H. “The Hepaticre of the British Isles.” London, 
1890-1902. 
(2) . Dixon, H. N. “ The Student’s Handbook of British Mosses.” Ed. 
2, London, 1904. 
(3) . Macvicar, S. M. “The Student’s Handbook of British Hepatics.” 
London,1912. 
(4) . Cavers, F. “ The Inter-relationships of the Bryophyta.” New 
Puytologist, 1910-1911; also published as “New Puytologist Reprint No. 
4,” London (Wesley), 1911, 
