dentate. Pistillidia 5-8. Capsule roundish-oval. Spores small,
yellowish-brown, elaters reddish-brown, not much broader than
the spores. Male plants usually growing in separate tufts or
more rarely mixed with fertile, male stems slender, often furcate,
branches short, J terminal or middle of the stem, 3-6 pairs of
biaots, with 2 (rarely 3) antheridia at the base, perigonial bracts
clasping the stem, bifid with a narrow sinus, ventricose at the
base, antheridia roundish-oval. Growing with the antheridia are
often leafy paraphyses. Gemmae often abundant, at the ends of
tlie uppermost leaves, 3-5 angled, brown or purplish-brown.
Fruits April, May, June.
Dim en sio n s.— S tem s from J to 1 in c h lo n g , '2 mm . d iam .,
w ith leav e s 1' mm . to 2 ' mm . w id e ; le av e s 1 '3 mm . lo n g x 1.2 mm.'
b ro ad , s e gm e n ts ’25 m m ., lA m m . x lA m m ., seg. '25 mm.,
A m m .x 7 m m ., seg. T m m ., 7 m m . x 7 m m ., seg. -05 mm.!
7 m m . X 7 m m ., seg. '05 m m ., '6 mm. x A m m ., seg. '05 m m . •
c e lls -02 m m . x -025 m m ., -025 mm . x '025 m m ., -02 mm!
x-03 m m .; b ra c ts V7 mm. lo n g x I ’o m m . b ro a d , I 'l mm.
X 1 -m m ,( in c lu d in g b r a c te o le ) , seg . A m m .,-S m r a .,'8 mm . x -8 m m .,
seg. 1 mm., -8 mm . x '7 m m ., seg. -2 m m ., 1. mm . x '8 m ra ., seg.
1 mm., 8 mm- x '9 mm. (including bracteole), seg. -1 mm. ;
bracteole V mm. long x -6 mm. broad, -6 mm. x '6 m m .; pistillidia
•16 mm. long x -06 mm. broad ; perianth 2'5 mm. long x -I 'l mm
broad, 2-2 mm. x P I mm., 2-1 mm. x '8 mm., P 8 mm. x 1. mm. ;
perigonial bracts '8 mm. long x -7 mm. broad; antheridia -16 mm.
X -14 mm. ; gemmae '0125 mm. x -01 mm., 'Ol mm. x -015 mm.
H ab.— G row in g in a lp in e a n d s u b a fy in e s itu a tio n s , o n roo k s
o r e a r th , o fte n in d ry a n d e x p o s e d places. E a re .
7. Glyders, Carnarvonshire, W Wihon. Cwm Idwal, Carnarvonshire,
W. 77 P. Cader Idris, Merionethshire, W. 77 P.
Nr. Dolgelly, Alerionethshire, Br. Carrington fl W. II. P.
12. Staveley, Westmorland, G. Stabler. Eydal, Westmorland,
G. Stable,; 15. Ben Mae Dhui, W. West, T. Rogers. Ben Lawers,
Sadler. Tillylair, J. Sim. 16. Ben Nevis, Hr. Carrington, W. West,
J. Whitehead. Moidart, West Inverness, S. lid. Macvicar.
I. Slieve Glah, Co. Cavan, H. Benbulben, Co. Sligo,,
H. McArdle.
Found on the Continent and in North America.
O b s .—This species is nearly related to Jungermania ventricosa
(Dicks.), and its var. porphyroleuea (Nees), on the one hand, and
Jungermania bantriensis var. acuta (Lindenb.), on the other.
On examination of numerous specimens from several collectors,,
and those given in different Fasciculi, I am confirmed in the
opinion that some uncertainty exists as to its charaoters. In my
copy of Austin’s Hep. Am-Bor., the specimens would refer better
to a form of Jungermania ventricosa, which may have been given
in mistake, for I have good typical spiecimens from the same
station (White Mountains, Oakes). According to Crypt. Bad.
n. 962, Jungermania alpestris a. tatior is a form also of Jungermania
ventricosa, having the violet cortical stem layer, subquadrate
leaves with more acute segments, but exactly the same type is
given in G. & E. Hep. Eur. n. 304 and n. 264 as Jungermania
ventricosa.
To add to the confusion, I have specimens from Schleicher’s
Cent. n. 59, which are [ex parte) the original Jung, alpestris, but my
specimens are Jungermania bantriensis var. Muelleri (Nees), having
the subulate stipules on all the stems. In Carr, k, Pears. Heqi.
Brit. Easci. II. n. 110 is given a small ibrm of Jungermania
alpeslris as var. gelida (Tayl.), but since it was published I have
had the opportunity of examining the original specimens of
Taylor, and am inclined to look upon the type as quite a distinct
species (see Jungermania gelida, Tayl.).
From Jungermania ventricosa Dicks, and its var. porjjJigroleuea
(Nees), J. alpeslris maybe distinguished hy its often slenderer and
more graceful stems, with smaller leaves, which are rounder, not
subquadrate, with a wider and shallower sinus, the cortical layer
of the stem being destitute of the violet colouring, the bracts only
bifid, perianth narrower.
Jungermania bantriensis var. acuta (Lindenb.) is more delicate,
of a darker green colour, leaves more oval, with narrow sinus.