B R I T I S H j u n g e r m a n n i æ : r J . Spkngni.)
T h e Leaves ( f 4 ), which a re in g ene ra l ab o u t h a lf a line in len g th , are bifarious, a lte rn a te ,
for th e most p a r t so closely placed th a t th e ir ma rgins a re slightly imbric a ted over each
o th e r, though, sometimes, as may be seen a t f. 3 , they a re more d is tan t, and have often
a va c ant space between each p a ir : they a rc p a te n t o r e re c t, rarely horizontal, th ro u g h o
u t o f an o rbicula r figure, on th e up p e r side concave, below convex. The cellules a re a t
th e ex trem itie s o f th e le a f nearly quadra te and reg u la r in figure, g iv in g th e edge a
slightly ra a rg in a ted appe a ranc e ; in otiie r p a rts th ey a re roundish, and so min u te as to
be seen only w ith a tolerably hig h m a g n ifie r: th e color varies from a rich yellow-brown
to a pale yellow-green, hav in g th e tips o f th e leaves, and especially o f those th a t are
ne a re st th e extrem ity o f th e stem, n o t unfrequently. tip p ed with purple.
T h e Perigonial leaves ! have n o t yet seen.
T h e PericA<e¿iaí ones a re confined to .th e sh o rt p rope r footstalk o f th e fruc tific a tion, and
a re a t its base roundish and e n tire , a fte r which they'become em a rg in a te , and, th e n e a re r
th ey approach th e calyx, ih e more frequently are they divided and la c in ia te d ; th e
u ppe rm ost a re th e la rg e st, oblongo-ovate, and c u t in to five o r sLx laciniated o r toothed
segments, th e ir substance is more loosely cellular th a n th a t o f th e otlie r leaves, th e ir color
a much pider and more yellow-green.
Stipules a re discoverable on this p la n t, b u t only on th e shoots which produce th e gemm®
which a re also furnished w ith leaves o f a m u ch smaller size th a n those o f th e m a in stem,
th o u g h s imila r to them in shape. Eaeh stipule is oblong o r ligu la te , obtuse , entire ,
except in those th a t approach th e extrem ity o f tlie shoot, where they a re emarginate,
M a le F r u c t if ic a t io n unknown.
F em a l e F r u c t if ic a t io n situ a ted upo n sh o rt pro p e r footstalks, which a r e e ith e r la te ra l,
■ o rig in a tin g from th e un d e r side o f th e p lan t, o r te rmina l.
T h e Calyx is about a line and a h a lf long, o f an oblong figure, b u t a tten u a ted a t each
e x trem ity , extreme ly delicate, w hitish, semipellucid {so as lo shew th e young capsule
w ith in ), and slightly p lic a te ; th e mouth con tra c ted and a little toothed. T h e
fructification I have n ot seen in a more advanced s ta te .
Gtnima are found in g re a t abundance and perfection in October and November, always
u pon elongations o f th e extrem ity o f th e p la n t, which a re readily distingui*'hable from
th e re st o f th e stem by th e ir smaller siz e , by th e ir gradually ta p e r in g to '• av Is th e apex,
by th e diminutive leaves, an d s till more easily by th e stipules w hich a re confined to th em ;
sit least Mr. Lyell and myself h ave in va in searched for th em th ro u g h o u t th e re s t o f th e
p lan t. Both th e te rm in a l leaves and stipules a re a little em a rg in a te , an d be a r a few
s c a tte red gemm®, which a re supported, in th e form o f little globules, sometimes single
and sometimes two o r th re e to g e th e r, on th e extrem ity o f th e shoot. E a ch pa rtic le
is very m in u te , roundish, be se t w ith a n um b e r o f a ngles, pellucid, and o f a pale yellow-
gre en color.
k
I t is to Charles Lyell, Esq., o f B artley Lodge, th a t th e botanical world is indebted for most of
th e above in te re s tin g pa rticu la rs relative to th e fructification and gemmie o f Jungermannia
Sphagni. T h e industry and researches o f th is g entlem an in th e trib e o t plants which are the
su b je c t o f this public a tion, have been unwearied, and his success (as these pages will amply
te stify) has been commensurate with his zeal. T ill very lately Mr. Dickson's o rigina l specimen,
from which his figure and description were ta k e n , was th e only one th a t had been found m
f ruc tific a tion; and I exceedingly rcgi'et th a t i t has n o t been in my power to add to the
accompanving p late, figures o f th e specimens in th a t s ta te which Mr. Lyell has so hberally
communieated to me. They win, however, appe a r in a supplementa ry n um be r, for wh.ch th e ,
a re reserved.
I t is almost needless to p o in t o u t th e d isc rimina ting marks o f a species so distin c t as th e
p re sen t and I shall c o n ten t myself w ith observing, th a t th e la rg e radicles, and th e peculiar form
o f th e calyx, to g e th e r w ith its pro p e r footstalk, a re , I believe, confined to this species. T h e leaves,
also th o u g h they b e a r no small resemblance, in g eneral outline , to those o t a new .lungennanma ,
which I propose calling J . Taylori. as well as to some of the leaves o f J. anomala. and to those of
J . scalaris, may always be k n own from those o f o th e r Junge rmannia !, by th e firmness o f the ir
te x tu r e , an d by th e remarkable smallness o f th e cellules, combined with th e ir g ene ra l shape.
Although Jungermannia Sphagni, in a b a rre n s ta te , has been found in various p a rts of
E n g lan d and Ire lan d , y e t th e con tin en ta l botanists seem to be scarcely acqua inted w ith it.
Hoffmann, indeed, Ko th and L amarck, haye noticed i t in th e ir respective works, b u t they have
copied, a lmost v e rb a tim , th e description o f o u r E n g lish cryptogamist, Mr. Dickson. I t is
c e rta inly found in Sweden, whence I have received specimens from D r. Swmtz.
R E F E R E N C E , ? T O T H E P L A T E .
PIG.
1, 1 . J . Sphagni natural size, and magnified .......................................................... • ^
The same, natural size.
J . Sphagni, m a g n ified .................................................................................................... ^
A Leaf with a portion o f the stem and r o o t s ................................................... 3