P lan ts covering (he soil in dense tu fts, or, as frequently happens, grow in g more loose and
s traggling among mosses and o th e r Jungermanniæ.
Roots most numerous a t the base o f th e p lant, b ut also proceeding he re and the re from
beneath th e stipules on the unde r side o f the shoots, in small tufts, composed of whitish,
simple, pellucid fibres.
Stems creeping, horizontal, from ha lf an inch to an inch and a h a lf long, flexuose, filiform, of
a greenish, or, in older specimens, o f a yellowish color ; cellulose, irregula rly branched,
g row in g in a so r t of stellated manner, as in J . bicuspidaia, J . byssacea, &c.; th e
branches beset with pa ten t o r horizontal simple p in næ : sometimes th e extremities o f
the shoots are o f th e same width as the re st, and obtuse ; a t o th e r times, they are
a ttenuated to a considerable len g th . From the unde r side o f the stems, a t unc e rta in
distances, descend flage lla, resembling, in a g re a t measure, those o f J . trilobata, and,
like th em , covered w ith foliaceous scales.
Leaves imbricated on the uppe r surface o f the stems and branches, closely so for th e most
p a r t; b u t, on th e innovations and a ttenua ted extremities o f th e branches, d is tan t and
very small : the re s t are la rg e r; all o f th em pa ten t o r horizontal, ye t p ointing a little in
th e direction o f the end of the branch, of a nearly quadra te figure, convex, and having
th e apices incurved, and divided into four, o r sometimes thre e , and occasionally five,
a cute teeth. T h e ir color is a pale green, th e ir reticulation small, th e areolæ distantly
placed, in lines, and a t tolerably equal distances, as in J . Turneri.
Perigonial leaves generally a t the extrem ity o f an “ innosqtio caulis," more convex than
the rest, and more closely imbricated (f. f. 2. 3 ).
Perichætial leaves, six or e ig h t a t the base o f each ca lyx; the exterior ones th e smallest,
a ll o f them ovate, convex, and, a t th e apex, c u t in to three or fo u r small te e th : the
texture o f these is somewhat membranaceous; th e color ne a rly white (f. f. 9. ] 0).
Stipules about twice th e width o f th e stem (f. 7 ) . o f a somewhat quadra te figure, very
convex, deeply c u t in to four a cu te segments. In texture they resemble th e leaves.
M a le F r u c t if ic a t io n s itua ted in the axÜIæ of th e perigonial leaves, one o r two in each, spherical,
re ticu la ted ; filament sh o rt, w hite , slender.
F emal e F r u c t if ic a t io n terminal on sh o rt proper footstalks, which origina te a t th e base o f the
branches, and from the ir under side.
Calyx submembranaceous, nearly white, oblong, approaching to ovate, cylindrical a t the
base, a t th e a p e s somewhat plicate, the mouth c renato-dentate.
Calyplra obovate, whitish, reticulated, tipped with a short style.
Peduncle about three-fourths o f an inch lo n g , white, ra th e r flexuose, pellucid, cellulose.
Capsule oblongo-ovate, deep brown, sp litting in to four equal, lanceolate valves:
Seeds and spiral filaments fulvous brown ; th e former spherical, th e la tte r composed o f a
double helix.
The pa r. fi differs in b e ing more regularly pinnate, and o f a much larger size ; b u t th e leaves,
th o u g h more closely imbricated, agree, as well as the stipules, in every essential particular with
those o f a.
T h e species he re figured and described, which scarcely yields in beauty to any o n e o f the
genus, may be considered as one o f th e most universally dispersed th roughout Europe. In habit,
it is closely allied to J . irilobata, h aving, like th a t p lan t, its leaves imbricated on the upper surface,
la rge denta te stipules, flagella beset with leaf-like scales, and a whitish membranaceous calyx,
proceeding from th e under side o f th e stems. The par. fi, th o u g h differing a t first sight so
materially from a , is distinguishable only by its great size and bipinnate ramification. The
extremities o f the uppermost pinnæ, indeed, are almost always o b tu se ; those o f the lower ones
a ttenua ted. This par. is rarely found in fructification. Miss Hutchins alone having been so fortunate
as to meet with i t in th a t state.
R E F E R E N C E S T O T H E P L A T E .
Male p la n t, natural size.
Portion o f the same, magnified............................................................... 6
Perigonial lea f and A n th e r ............................................................................................... 2
A n th e r .................................................................................................................... ^
Female p la n t, natural size.
The same, magnified............................................................................................................. 6
Portion o f the stem with leaves and stipules, seen fr om below ............................. 3
Calyx cut open, to shew ihe calyptra ........................................................................... 4
Exterior p e r k h i E t i a l l e a f .................................................................................................... 4
Inte l tor perichceiial le a f .................................................................................................... 4
Seeds ........................................................................................................................................... 1
Far. fi. natural size.