stem, furnished with one o r two ra th e r la rg e and spiniform processes o r teeth, and, a t
tlic extremity, divided by an acute sinus in to two serrated lobes. At th e lower base of
th e leaf, and on th e unde r side o f ihe stem, is the auricle, an ovate, inflated, pouchlike
appendage, a b o u t one -fourth o f the size o f the leaf, which it exactly resembles in te x tu re ;
bo th having extremely m inute , yet distantly-placed, cellules (f. 5 ). T h e color of th e
leaves is a fine purple towards th e extremity o f th e plant, b u t becoming browner as it
approaches th e base; th a t o f the auricles a greenish brown.
The F r u c t if ic a t io n is a ltoge the r unknown to me.
T h e L innæan Mnium Jungermannia is, in all probability, th e same as th e p lant h ere represented,
•which has, nevertheless, no affinity with the p lan t referred to in Micheli’s Nova Genera Plantarum,
by th e illustrious Swede, u n d e r tha t species ; th a t, as I have already had occasion to observe, being
nothing more than a purple variety o f J . nemorosa. Ray’s p lan t is surely th e same as o u r s ; and
Dillenius’ figure is too accurate to be mistaken, although I did n ot observe th e species in his
herbarium a t Oxford. The Hallerian synonym I can quote b u t doubtfully; b u t Weis, who first
adopted the name o f “ cochleariformis,’’ has described th e species with considerable accuracy.
Ne ith e r this, however, nor any o the r author, seems to have been acquainted with th e fructification;
unless, indeed, VVeber may be supposed to have been so, who stili merely says o f th e plant,
th a t “ Maii'mense p ro fe rt vaginas terminales, surculis concolores, cylindricas."
Dr. Smith has made a rema rk upon J . cochleariformis, which I have n o t been able to verify
by my own observation, th a t “ the younger plants have fla tte r leaves, an d are without th e auricles."
On th e contrary, in all th e specimens th a t have fallen un d e r my observation, th e leaves have been
very convex, and th e auricles sufficiently consjiicuous.
^ 1
v V l
R E F E R E N C E S T O T H E P L A T E .
J . cochleariformis, natural size.
Portion, m a g n ifie d ................................................................................................................... 6
Under side o f a portion o f the stem and leaves.............................................................. 4
L e a f and a u r ic le ........................................................................................................................ 3
Porlion o f a le a f ............................... 1