Jungermannia fu r c a ta is one o f th e most common species o f (he genus, aud, as such, is
familiar to every stu d en t o f Cryptogamic Botany. T h e conformation o f its various pa rts, however,
is deserving o f the most m in u te investigation, for I have scarcely m e t with any species which offers
at the same time so much beauty and singularity o f s tru c tu re united. Hith e rto th e curious calyx,
th e perigonium, and the gemm®, have escaped th e notice o f writers upon th e subject, o r have been
b u t very imperfectly and incorrectly described. Even th e illustrious Hedwig has been fa r from
happy in his account o f the antheriferous receptacle, th e calyptra, and th e seeds, a ll o f which differ
considerably from what I have myself had the opp o rtu n ity o f examining. In anothe r p a rt o f this
Monograph I shall have occasion to speak more fully on tliis subject. Ro th is surely incorre c t, wh en
he says “ Calyx ex aversa frondium pagina propullulans, adscendens, conicus, ovatus, h irsu tu s ,
viridis. Corolla calyce brevior, tenuissima and fu rth e r, “ ab omnibus hujus phalangis in eo
recedit hæc planta, u t calyx ex adversa frondium pagina adscendat tubulosus, ovatus, corollam
viinorem inciuJeiis cum in reliquis calyciformis e frondis substantia pe r integumentum commune
dilaceratum. prutruda tur." T h e coro«a is surely th e p a r t th a t is p rotruded, and in th is pa rticu la r
acconls with, a ll th e re st of th e JungermannicE frondosoe. In its delicate tex tu re , and in th e strongly
m a rked th o u g h slender midrib, J .fu r c a ta resembles J . L y e ilii, from which, and from every othe r
species in th e genus, it is nevertheless abu n d an tly distinct.
T h e re is no reason whatever for considering th e var. y . a Riccia. T h e Riccia fru ticu lo sa of
Flora Danica, I fully agree with Dr. Smith in thinking quite a different p lan t, and probably (if 1
may be allowed lo ju d g e from th e figure) th e JungermannicE p a lm ata o f Hoffmann.
R E F E R E N C E S T O T H E P L A T E S . Í T A B . L V . A N D L V I . )
(TAB. L V .)
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
J .fu r c a ta , w ith male fruc tification, natural size.
The same, magnified................................................................................................................... 6
A portion o f the stem and innovation, with male fructification.................................. 4
Portion o f a gemmiferous p la n t, seen fr om the under side.......................................... 4
Perigonium, with the Anthera in c lu d ed ............................................................................ 3
Perigonium torn o p e n .............................................................................................................. 3
A n th e r in a young s t a t e ......................................................................................................... 1
A nthe r fu l ly fo rm ed ' •• 1
Var. y , natural size.
The same, magnified.. .......................................................... 6
Gemmiferous p la n t, natural size.
The same, magnified................................................................................................................... 6
Gemmce................................................................................................................................ ^
Gemmiferous p la n ts, shewing ike under surface, natural size,
and 29. The same, magnified................................................................................................ 6
(TA B. L V I .)
Jungei-mannia fu r c a ta , fem a le p la n t, natural size.
Var. (3, natural size.
Under side o f a fem a le p la n t, w ith the fructification in various stages o f ) ^
forwardness, magnified......................................................................................................3
Fertile p la n ts, upper side......................................................................................................... 6-
Calyces in a young state, and p is tilla ................................................................................. 4
A calyx more advanced.............................................................................................................. 3
P i s t i l lu m ....................................................................................................................................... 1
Calyx, corolla, and capsule.......................... • 3
Calyx expanded ................................................................................................... 1.............. 2'
Capsule opened............................................................................... 2
Valve o f the capsule........................................................ 1
Seeds and spiral f i la m e n t s .................................................................................................... 1
Calyx lengthening into a shoot • • 3