CONSPECTUS HEPATICARUM
{Spruce).
Suborder I. JTJNGERMANIAOEAj.
Vegetation foliose, in a very few species frondose. Fruit solitary,
pedicellate, capsule quadrivalvate, very rarely irregularly
rupturing. Elaters mixed with the spores. Andrcecia spicate,
often amentiform; antheridia enclosed in leafy bracts, in a few
frondose species only either scattered or seriate upon the stem and
ebraotate.
Tribe I. JUBULEiE.
Eamification always lateral, i.e. having distichous, for the
most part infra-axillary branches arising from among the lateral
leaves only, never from the stipules. Leaves always alternate,
inouhous, complicato-bilobate, the smaller inferior lobule generally
inflated or saccate. Stipules present in nearly all species, radiculose;
in a few species absent, in which case the radicles are
in two rows along the stem, in a very few species they are duplicate
(that is, in two rows). Flowers S most frequently diandrous,
in a few species monandrous. Flowers ? monogynous or 1-4-
gynous. Perianth always present, free, more or less frontally
compressed, 2-12-angled, constricted at the apex, shortly tubular.
Calyptra constantly free both from the perianth and the pistillidia.
Capsule on a short pedicel, globose, quadrivalvate for only two-
thirds of its length from the apex, the lower third being undivided
and forming a neck or apophysis, which is really the dilated apex
of the pedicel. Elaters monospiral, truncate, persistent.
Tribe II. JUNGEEMANIEA].
Eamification various, lateral or partly postical (floral branches
principally); rarely all postical, very rarely antical. Leaves in-
cubous, transverse or succubous, alternate or opposite; very
various in form, subexplanate or concave, entire or very often
divided, but very rarely complicato-bilobate. Stipules in some
genera constantly present, in others very rare or absent. Flowers
¥ in some always monandrous, in others oligandrous, in very
few polyandrous. Flowers s oligo-polygynous; pistillidia 5-80,
free, or when in fruit more or less adnate to the calyptra.
Perianth very variable; complánate, trigonous or polygonous,
rarely perfectly terete, mouth wide or constricted; sometimes
really or apparently absent, in a few species forming a fleshy
pendulous pouch. Calyptra usually free, in some species adnate
to the perianth or involucre. Capsule globose, oblong or cylindrical,
quadrivalvate to the base, dehiscing irregularly in very few
species. Elaters in almost all cases dispiral, rarely monospiral or
3-4-spiral, deciduous; sometimes a few heteromorphous elaters
persist a little longer than the rest either at the base or the apex
of the capsule, hut finally fall away in the same manner as the
normal ones.
A. Elaters normally dispiral.
a. Eadicles arising from the lobule of the leaves.
Subtribe I. EADULEAl.
Plants rather large, prostrate, dichotomous or laxly pinnate.
Branches all lateral, infra-axillary. Leaves incubous, complicato-
bilobate, the inferior lobule smaller, radiculose. Stipules none.
Flowers S 1-3-androus. Perianth almost always frontally compressed,
sometimes complánate, with a wide truncate mouth.
Capsule in almost every instance oblongo-cylindrical.
h. Eadicles arising from the stem or from the postical
stipules.