opposite and connate witii the intervening stipules ; closely
imbricate, biiobed. Antiieridia solitary, large, oval-globose,
stipitate, situated in the saccate bases of the bracts.
1. Porella la eviga ta (Sckrad.) Lindb.
mgata, Schrad. Syst. Samm. 11, n. 104, p. 6 (1797); Hook.
Brit. Jung. t. 85 (181G).
Madotheca loemgata, Dum. Comm. p. I l l (1822).
Porella loemgata, Lindb. Muse, soand. p. 3 (1879).
Dioicous, loosely cæspitose, largish to large, olive-green to
yellowish-brown. Stems procumbent, lying over each other in an
irregularly imbricated manner, irregularly bipinnate, branches
liorizontal, irregular in size, number and position, apices somewhat
attenuate ; on a oross-seotion oval, frontally compressed, 24 cells
X 32, the cortical and next inner layer of cells being small with
very thick brown walls, the third row having brown walls but
thinner, and tlie inner cells becoming gradually larger with
thinner and more hyaline walls ; radiculose, rootlets few, very
small, proceeding from the lower part of the stem. Leaves
closely imbricate, alternate, appressed to stem, incubons, hifarious,
unequally bilobed, antical lobe much tlie largest, liorizontal,
convex or suhplane, obliquely ovate, acute or aourainulate, margin
more or less entire, near antical base often furnished with 2 or 3
teeth ; postical lobe erect or erecto-patent, almost parallel with tlie
stem, oblong, plane, appressed to antieal lobe, about as long but
narrower tlian the stipules, ciliate-dentate. Texture somewhat
thin, epidermis polished, rarely dull ; cells small, roundish, trigones
distinct. Stipules appressed to stem, broadest at the base, slightly
decurrent, ovate-reotangular, apex subtruncate, margin undulate,
ciliate-dentate. Flowers j produced on short branchlets at right
angles to the branches ; sub-bracts somewhat similar to the
leaves only larger and ciliate dentate ; sub-bracteole similar to
stipules only larger; bracts patent-divergent, mucli larger than
the leaves, antioal lobe broadly ovate, rotundate, ciliolate ;
postical lobe patent-divergent, broader than the leaf lobules,
ciliolate; bracteole broadly ovate, ciliolate. Perianth cuneate,
mouth very wide, irregular, ciliolate, ciliola being about 4 cells
long. Pistillidia very large.
Dimensions.— Stems 2 to 3 inches long, '4 mm. to A mm. in
diameter, w ith leaves 3" mm. w id e ; antioal lobe 2'5 mm. x 1 7 5
mm., 2 ram. x 1'5 mm,, postical IT mm. x ’4 mm., 1'25 mm. x
■5 ram., 1'2 mm. x 5 m m .; bran ch leaves, antical lobe 1 ’6 mm. x
1-25 mm., 1 7 5 mm. x 1'25 mm., postical 7 mm, x '22 m m .; cells
■02 mm., '0225 mm. x '02 mm., 0225 mm. x '0225 m m .; stipules,
1'25 mm. X'75 mm., 1' mm. x '9 m m .; sub-bract, antioal lobe
2'4 mm. x 1'5 mm., postical 1'35 mm. x '7 m m .; sub-braoteole 1'25
mm. X '7 m m .; bract, antical lobe S' mm. x 1'75 mm., postical
1'75 mm. x l 'm m . ; bracteole 2'25 mm. x 2 ' m m .; periantli 3'
mm. x3' 5 a t th e m o u th ; te e th a t mouth of p e rian th '05
mm.- '0 7 5 mm. ; p istillid ia '3 mm. x '1 mm.
H ab.—On trunks of tiees (especially at the base), stones or
rocks. Eare. 1 ? 5. Gt. Doward Hill, Hereford, B. 31. Watkins.
7. Barmouth, Holt and Wild. Tyn-y-groes, W. H. F. 10. Nr.
Dent, W. West. 12. Borrowdale, Cumberland, L)r. Carrington
and W. H. P. 13. Prequent in subalpine glens, Dumfries,
Cruickshank, Scott. 15. 16. Moidart, West Inverness, Sgmers
J/. Alacvicar. I.
Found on the Continent.
O bs.— Distinguislied from other Porellce by its polished
leaves, with antical lobes acute or acuminate, postical ciliate-
dentate, margin of bracts finely ciliolate, periantli sliort, but
very wide at the mouth. Plants bearing perianths liave, I
believe, only been once found, by Prof. Henriques in Portugal;
the male plant has never been met with. This plant has the
singular character (which was first noticed by Prof. Lindberg), of
producing a burning sensation in tlie mouth wlieii chewed.
D escrip'i'ion oe P late XXVIII.—Pig. 1. Plant natural size.
1. Portion of branch, antical view x 11 (C. & P. n. 45).
3. Portion of stem, postical view x 16 (ditto). 4. Leaf, postical
view x 11 (ditto). 5. Postical lobe or lobule x 16 (ditto).
6. Portion of leaf x 290 (ditto). 7. Stipule x 24 (ditto).