(ditto). IG. Pistillidium X 85 (Pass of Llanberis, W. H. P.).
17. Spores and elaters x (Dr. C.). 18. Perigonial bract x 85
(Pass of Llanberis, W. H. P.). 1<). Antheridium x 85 (ditto).
Genus 35. ACEOBOLBITS, Nees.
Acrobolbus, Nees in G. L. N. Syn. Hep. p. 5 (1844).
Gymnanihe, Tayl. MSS. G. L. N. Syn, Hep. p. 192 (1844).
Plants small, semi-parasitio. Steins prostrate, radiculose,
simple or furcate, rarely with one or two sublateral branohes.
Leaves sucoubous, alternate, snbquadrate, bifid, upper sometimes
trifid, quite entire,fyr here and there dentate ; cells medium size.
Stipules absent. Inflorescence dioicous. Bracts Ç 1-2 pairs,
large, plurilobate, undulato-orispate. Pistillidia 10-22. Marsupium
terminal, seated at right angles with the stem, short,
bulbous, obovato-globose, carnose, mouth without or very rarely
with subulate scales. Calyptra adnate up the apex with the
marsupium, crowned with the sterile pistillidia. Pedicel calceo-
late at the base. Capsule oblong. Antheridia terminal.
Acrobolbus Wilsoni (Tagl.) Nees.
.Tungermania Wilsoni, T.ayl. in soliedis.
Gymnanthe Wilsoni, Tayl. G, L. N. Syn. Hep. p. 192 (1844).
Acrobolbus Wilsoni, Nees, G. L. N. Syn. Hep. p. 5 (1844).
Dioicous, cæspitose, tufts scattered, small,.pea or dark grcin
in colour. Stems creeping, flexuose, colour olive or olive brown
near the base, cells 10 x 10, cortical similar to the inner; radiculose,
rootlets abundant, clothing the postical side of the stun,
dull white, somewhat coarse. Innovations postical or suhlateral,
slender. Fertile stems suddenly accrescent at the apex and
bearing much larger erect leaves. Leaves approximate, semivertical,
roundish or obovate, divided for one third or even half
their length into two acute unequal lobes, the antical somewhat
larger, rarely trilobate ; sinus acute ; margin entire or with an
occasional tooth, insertion oblique, contracted at the base, nearly
q)lane and horizontal at the inferior portion of the stems, but
more concave, asoendiiig and connivent near the apex; texture
fragile, somewhat thin, hut lleshj', cells medium to rather large
in size, roundish-hexagonal or roundish-quadrate, walls thick,
angles thickened, trigones hardly peroeptable, lumen filled with
chlorophyllose granules. Stipules wanting or rarely present as
minute scales at the apex of innovations. Fructification terminal,
but from the growth of innovations sometimes appearing lateral.
Braots 2, larger than the leaves, broadly ovate or cordate, 2 to
3-lobed, the lobes repand-dentate, so as to have a crisped appearance,
convolute-oonoave, base saccate-amplexioaul. Bracteole
semi'ovate, acuminate, margin irregularly dentate, connate with
one of the bracts, sub-bracts rather smaller, similar in size, but
only bilobed, and with margins more or less entire. The bracts
are originally free, surrounding the convex apex of the stem, on
which 15-20 pistillidia are crowded. But after impregnation
the rapid cell-growth of the young germ extends to the ‘ torus
pistillorum,’ and the bases of the adjacent leaves, so that the whole
are blended together to form an involucre, the lower half of which
is ob-conic and entire, projecting below the level of the stem, and
forming a kind of bulb, from which numerous rootlets proceed.
The mouth of the involucre is surmounted by two connivent
bracts and bracteole, which retain their old form.
On longitudinal section the structure will be better understood,
the sub-bracts (which approach the terminal ones in size)
obscuring it. The capsule is found occupying a cavity composed
in part of the metamorphosed apex of the stem and bases of the
bracts, and in part of the calyptra, which, with the exception ot
the dome-like apex, is concrete with the outer walls, bearing
around it the remains of the abortive pistillidia, which surround
the mouth of the involucre like a fringe. Perianth wanting.
Calyptra campanulate, of thin hyaline texture, adnate except at
the apex with the fleshy involucre. Capsule oval, dark brown,
divided into four valves. Pedicel stout, fleshy, white, bulbous
at the base, and inserted into the thickened gibbous portion of