Bot. t. 2 8 7 ; Hook. Br. FI. V., l o i ; Carr, and
Pears. Ex. No. 64. Targionia Michelii, Nees
Hep. IV., 299; Co o ke Hep. ( f ig 192.).
On banks, in moist situations. (Fr. Apr. May.)
Fronds forming large patches, imbricated, oblong-
ovate, plane, between coriaceous and fleshy, margin
entire, very deep green, purplish
at the edges, furnished with
numerous oval pores on the
upper surface, beneath is the
appearance of a midrib, prominent,
and covered with numerous
radicles, having on each
side many purple, transversely
oblong, scales. Immediately beneath
the extremity, or underside
of the frond, is a solitary
193-
perianth, globose, of a purplish-black colour,
marked with a vertical prominent line, where
it dehisces and becomes two-valved (fig. 193).
Within this perianth are at first a few pistillidia, one
of which becomes fertile, covered with a calyptra,
which latter at length splits irregularly. The
spherical capsule is protruded, but never extends
beyond the perianth. Fruit-stalk very short.
Capsule dark brown, opening with several unequal
segments. Flaters bispiral.
Sub-order j . R IC C IA CEAS.
Vegeta t ion frondose. Fruit without valves,
for the most part immersed in the frond.
_ L
Capsule dehiscing irregularly. Elaters absent.
Anthe r idia immersed in the frond.
T h e Brit ish gene ra may be thus characterised
:—
A. Without a proper involucre :—
Capsule immersed in the upper side of the
fr o n d.— R iccia.
Capsule adnate to the inferior surface.—
Ricci ella.
Capsule immersed in the frond, not protuberant.—
R icciocarpus.
B. With a proper involucre :—
Fruit free on the disc of the frond.— Sphcero-
carpus.
G en u s 4 8 . RICCIA, Mich.
Involuc re none. Fruit immersed in the
frond. C a lypt ra s tyle-
bearing, s ty le deciduous.
Sporangium globose, irr
e gu la r ly erumpent. Ela ters
none. Anthe r idia
naked on the superficies
of the frond, tubulous,
produced on the same or on other individuals.
“ Capsule sphærical, immersed in the frond,
indéhiscent, c rowned with a style, which
alone is protruded.”
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