The English flora - SeaweedAfrica

102 HEPATICJE. [Marchantia.
filaments. Anthers (?) oblong, imbedded in a flat, carnose, sessile
or pedunculated, papillary disk. Gemmxe, abundant in this
genus, on the frond, lenticular, contained in variously shaped
receptacles, and germinating even while on the parent frond.
(Muse. Brit. ed. 2. p. 219.)—Named in compliment to Nicholas
Marchant, the first Botanist which the Royal Academy of
Sciences at Paris admitted among its members.
1. M. polymorpha, Linn, (polymorphous Marchantia); receptacle
of the capsules deeply cut in a stellated manner into about
10 narrow segments, that of the anthers pedunculated. Linn.
Sp. PL p. 160. E. Bot. t. 1 10. Hooker, Fl. Scot. P. II. p. 1 19.
Muse. Brit. ed. 2. p. 219. Lindenb. Syn. Hepat. p. 100.—Bill.
Muse. t. 76. / 6.
Moist and wet situations ; also in dry spots when shaded ; very com-
mon. Fr. July.
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Fronds much imbricated, procumbent, erect only
when growing in water, very variable in length, rarely simple, generally
once or twice divided in a dichotomous manner, 1 —4 or even 5 inches
long; laciniae mostly short, rounded and nearly entire ; sometimes, as
when growing in water, very much elongated, linear-oblong, marked on
the upper surface with a depressed dark line, which, beneath, constitutes
a prominent blackish midrib, whence, for nearly the whole length
of the plant, spring numerous pale, silky, fibrous radicles. Colour generally
an uniform dull green; the texture between fleshy and membranaceous,
more approaching to the latter, strikingly cellular ; cells oblong,
furnished in the centre with a small pore, arranged in parallel lines,
diverging upward from the midrib at an acute angle. Fructification
dioecious; fronds bearing anthers similar to those bearing capsules.
Male receptacle greenish ; the papillae purple, supported on peduncles,
springing from the base of a sinus at the extremity of the frond just
beneath the margin; about one inch in length, obtusely quadrangular,
thickened upwards. On one side of the peduncle are two grooves, each
containing a bundle of filaments that pass through their whole length,
and diverge, on the under side of the peltate receptacle, into as many
rays as there are lobes to the receptacle. Receptacle flat on the summit,
horizontal, papillose, fleshy, thin and membranaceous at the margin,
and cut into about eight short* rounded lobes. Anthers equal in number
to the papillae on the surface of the receptacle, and imbedded in its
fleshy portion : a vertical section shows them to be of nearly oval form
and reticulated structure, filled with soft granular matter; they are
surrounded by an ovate reticulated membrane, attenuated above and
opening by an orifice through the papillae. On the underside of
the receptacle are numerous imbricated scales, radiating, so that each
ray corresponds with a marginal lobe of the receptacle, and there covers
the diverging fibres above mentioned. Female fructification —receptacle
of the capsules pedunculated; the peduncle 1—3 or 4 inches long,
rising, as in the male fructification, and similar in shape and structure,
but not thickened above. Receptacle hemisphaerical, deeply divided to
the base into 8—10 linear, cylindrical, decurved rays, covering as many
involucres which are united at the base, and there intermixed with minute
chaffy scales; these involucres are oblong, membranaceous, open at the
extremity, and remarkably laciniated, enclosing at the base, while young,
two or three pendent pistils, as in Jungermannia, each surrounded by an
ovate quadrifid membranaceous perianth. Of these pistils, one or more