O f the stipules, ! have been able to discover none upon th e principal stems ; b ut, on the
young innoi’ations, both Dr. Taylor and myself have seen tliem o f an ovate form,
extremely m inute , sometimes entire , sometimes notched o r bifid (f. 6) . Similar iitpu/es
have, since th e publication of J . S p h agni,.hc ea discovered upon th e gemmiferous shoots of
th a t species likewise.
The pericheetial leaves a re no otherwise diflerent from th e re s t, than in being somewhat
la i'g e r: th re e or four pair (f. 7) arise from th e exterior surface o f the calyx, in such a
manner as wholly to cover it, - -
M a le F r u c t if ic a t io n a t pre sent unknown.
F emal e F r u c t if ic a t io n te rm in a l ,
C a ly x* immersed in th e perichætial leaves, oblong or club-shaped, o f a very thick and
subearnose lexture every where, except a t th e mai-gin, where it has a more foliaceous
appearance, and is divided into four la rge acute and equal-sized teeth or s egments (f. 8).
Calyptra ovate, thin, delicate, reticula ted, tipped with a small style.
recluncle fo u r o r five times th e len g th o f the calyx, white, striated transversely and longitudinally.
Capsule spherical, red-brown, sp litting into four equal, ovate valves, and discharging th e
seeds and sjnralfilaments, o f which th e former a re exactly spherical, and, as well as the
la tte r, o f a fulvous color.
Notwithstanding th e peculiarity in the general h ab it o f th is in te re s tin g discovery o f Miss Hutchins,
arising from th e curious disposition o f the leaves and th e ir g ene ra l tex tu re , it is difficult to fix upon
a satisfactory specific ch aracter th a t will distinguish it from J . Taylori, w ith o u t th e aid o f the
fructification, th e discovery o f which we owe to th e Botanist after wliom th e laltei- p lant is called.
T h e trivial name has been suggested by my excellent friend, Mr. J*yell, to whom I coniminricatcd
specimens, and whose remarks upon the stc iile individuals a re so excellent, th a t my readers will
th an k me for transc ribing them unaltered and unabridged from his le tte r. “ A cursory view o f a
young innovation made me suspect th a t Miss Hutchins had g ot hold of my J . h y a lin a f, and the
general figure o f th e p lan t recalled a specimen o f J . scalaris sent me by Mr. Templeton. But
J . compressa is less transpa rent than J. hyalina, and more so th a n J . scalaris usually is ; the re ticulation
is smaller th a n in e ith e r; and th e o u te r row o f cellules smallest, which is very uncommon.
Moreover, it is o f u p rig h t g row th , and sends o ut no radicles from th e sta lk, differing in th a t
respect from the two above-named Jungermanniæ, and from J . Taylori. T h e leaves are circular,
imbric a ting and becoming gradually la rg e r towards th e apex o f th e stalk. They are bifarious, and
the insertion is nearly a t r ig h t angles to th e s t a lk ; so th a t, when viewed la te ra lly, they pro je c t on
• In the present species, as well as in J . scalaris and J . emarginala, and possibly in all the Jungermannia; which
have an immersed calyx, this part has the appearance of being nothing more than the extrepiity of the stem
incrassated, and hollowed out for the reception of the pistilla ; for the texture of the calices always resembles th a t of
the stem ; and they are never deciduous, as is the case with the exserted calices.
t A new species that will shortly appear in this Monograph.
both sides o f th e sUlk, (about two-thirds towards th e front, and one-third towards th e back).
When moist, th e leaves are plane, and th e insides o f the opposite ones touch each othe r, which
gives th e plant a singularly compressed appearance, and makes it refuse to lie in any position b u t
its side, when examined on th e table o f the microscope.—In drying, th e leaves become somewhat
waved and deflected a t the apex.”
I t is a curious circumstance, th a t th e stipules should be coufined (a t least, as fa r as my own
observations and those of D r. Taylor hai'e gone) to the younger innovations. Can it be th a t they
exist upon th e stems o f the young plants, and upon th e young ones only, in th e same manner as the
stipules o f many phænogamous p b n ts , and especiaUy o f th e Salices, which are seen only d uring an
early stage o f th e foliation 1
T h e paucity o f radicles is a fa rth e r peculiarity which this Jun g e rm an n ia has in common with
oth e rs, rvhich, like it , g row a lm o st wholly 111 th e w a te r, anil which have Iheir stems likewise
densely crowded.
J . compressa o u g h t, without doubt, to ran k n ex t J . scalaris, J . Taylori, and J. anomala, with
th e former o f which it agrees in th e immersed capsule.
R E F E R E N C E S T O T H E P L A T E .
. J . compressa, fem a le p la n t, n atural si;
, 3. Sterile plants, natural size.
. Sterile plants, which have been altered
the current, natural size.
Female p la n t, magnified .........................
. Portion o f a young innovation, shewing the stipul
. E x tremity o f a fe r tile shoot . . . .
. A calyx, longitudinally dissected, exhibiting the inside o f
with the calyptra and p is tilla ..
'. Seeds and spiral filaments...............
their appearance by the strength o f
e row o f leaves, 1