V;' i
M.
Perichætial leaves (f. 9) varying in number from two to fo u r; erect, closely appressed
to th e sides o f the calyx, o f which they are about one-fourth o f th e len g th , nearly
quadra te , th e ir sides incui'ved, th e ir ajiex obtusely and widely emarginate.
S tipules (f. 6 ) sm a ll, o b lo n g , p la n e , a p p re s s e d t o th e s tem , o r a l it t l e p a te n t, d iv id e d
f o r a b o u t o n e - th i rd o f tl i e i r le n g th f rom th e e x tr em i ty , b y a n a c u te s in u s , in to tw o
e q u a l, s t r a i t , a n d a c u te s e gm e n ts .
F r u c t if ic a t io n u n k n ow n .
F em a l e F r u c t if ic a t io n la te r a l.
Calyx (f. 8) la rg e in proportion to th e size o f the p lan t, oblong, a tten u a ted a t th e
base, widening towards th e extremity, where th e re are five projecting pa ten t angles
o r teeth, which a re x’ery de cu rren t, extending sometimes one -third, and sometimes
even more, o f th e len g th o f th e calyx : its extremity is depressed, and even flattened ;
th e mouth much contracted, and a little ja g g e d . In color and texture th e calyx exactly
I'esembles the leaves.
Calyptra (f. f. 10. 11) .spherical, narrowed and a ttenuated a t th e base, strongly reticulated,
tipped with a tub u la r style.
Peduncle about twice th e length o f th e capsule, divided by transverse septa into a n um be r
o f jo in ts, each o f which is composed o f many m in u te capillary tu b e s ; (hus g iving
th e peduncle an appearance which is observable in those m a rine Confervce which
Mr. Dillwyn has called “ longitudinalitèr venosæ," and, in which, he says, “ th e filament
is an aggregation o f several smaller tu b e s* ” .
Capsule exa c tly spherical, white, membranous, pellucid, reticula ted, dividing, for h a lf
its len g th only, into four equal, e re c t, conical segments, which su p p o rt a t the ir
extremities th e
S p ira l filaments, in th e form o f a small tu f t or pencil; they are few in numbe r, each
appears (for I have n ot been able in th e dry specimens to satisfy myself on this
p o in t so well as I could wish) to be formed o f a double helix, and is enveloped in
a th in , pellucid, merabrnnous tu b e , open and a little expanded a t th e mouth. T h e
seeds a re large, o f an oblong figure, h e re and th e re obtusely angula r, o f a dark
green color.
Gemmæ (f. 7 ) appear to be n ot uncommon, and are produced upon various p a rts o f th e
stem, whence they readily separate, and upon th e table o f th e microscope are seen
floating about in th e wa te r, almost th e in s tan t th e plant is imme rsed: they arc larger
th a n tlie seetls aboiæ described, nearly orbicular, depressed, composed o f a few large
cellules: th e color is pide gre en.
J. calyptrifoUa is one o f th e m ost curious species, and the most unlike every other in th e Genus,
th a t have been discovered by tlie two often-mentioned botanists, Miss Hutchias and Mr. LyeU.
Hitherto it has always been found g rowing along with J. hamatifolia; b u t th o u g h so evidently
• Dillw. British Conferva:, p. 8, and 80.
T h e var. fi. ovata differa from « in its smaller size, and in having th e leaves more convex
on the uppe r surface, and of a n ovate figure, acuminate a t th e p o in t: which appears, indeed,
a t first sig h t, more striking th a n is really the case, from th e circumstance o f th e margins
o f th e leaves being incurved.
I t is n o t a little remarkable th a t a species, which does not seem to be confined to a few
p a its o f th e kingdom, should, among British Botanists, have found only one author who has
given a description o f i t ; and, even among foreigners, Micheli alone seems to have been acqua
inted with it. This excellent observer has displayed s ingula r acuteness in the figure and
description he has g iven us o f .this p la n t, and its diminutive associate J. minutissima. Dillenius,
however, professedly ig n o ran t o f th e plants themselves, has copied both the representation, and
words o f Micheli, n o t .without expressing his doubts as to the ir accuracy, which lie certainly
would not have done, had th e specimens fallen under his own notice. “ -Sed ve reor,” is his
rem a rk , “ u t valdè ac cura tæ sint, ob p a rvita tem suam : capitulæ v identur Antheræ nondum
explicatæ, in . quibus. non capio, quid sint pili in summitate. Quæ p u n c ta vocat, pinnulæ
procul dubio su u t secuudariæ.” These “ capitulæ,” o r “ A nthe ræ,” as Dillenius considered them,
an d the “ p ili. in sum m ita te ,” a re very s trik in g characters in th e species, though th ey are not
confined to i t , . since w e . are now acquainted with four species being thus distinguished ;
J . hamatifolia, J . calyptrifoUa, J. minutissima, aud th e sub je c t o f the present description. To
th e former of these it is th a t J. serpyllifolia comes th e nearest in its foliage, b u t the calyces
w ill be found to differ materially, as will tlie leaves, th o u g h there is certainly a considerable
resemblance between those o f th e variety described above, and of J . hamatifolia ; th e la tte r are,
however, m uch smaller, still more acuminate an d incuivcd, and have th e lobule or expanded
and involuted ma rgin occupying a much g re a te r portion o f th e lobe. A difference will likewnse
be seen in th e stipules. Both Miss Hutchins and Mr. Lyell have often found the two species
grow in g to g e th e r; b u t they have never experienced any ditliculty in distinguishing them.
Mr. Dickson has quoted, as a synonym to J . serpyllifolia, D il l . Muse. t. 72. / • 28. instead
o f f. 30., w h ic h appears to hai’e been done th ro u g h mistake, th e former figure being also referred
to as his J . cinerea; a species which I am disposed to consider only an injured state of
J , dilatata.
Various degrees o f tem pe ra ture seem adapted to th e present Ju n g e n u a n n ia , wliich is not
only found in Ita ly, and in th e N o rth and South of Great B rita in, b u t also i
climate o f Sweden, as I learn by th e kind communications o f Dr. Swartz.
t the still colde r