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Herbarium — Part 4

The generic name Frullania was given in honour of Signor Leonardo Frullani, an Italian minister of state.

Frullania Eboracensis, Gottsche.--See Colour Plate XIV.

This dainty hepatic is usually found in some shade of green or red, forming delicate traceries on the bark of trees. It is particularly beautiful on the smooth bark of the yellow birches in the North woods.

The leaves lap as shingles (imbricate). The lobule is hood-like (galeate), bluntly terminating at the base. The perianth is somewhat compressed with a short, broad beak.

Genus PTILIDIUM, Nees

The species of the Genus Ptilidium grow usually in dense and brownish mats, the stems prostrate or ascending, 1 to 2 pinnate or irregularly and sparingly branched, without whip-like branches, the branches are lateral; root-hairs are few and short.

The leaves are obliquely inserted, variously cut or fringed, a character which suggested the name Ptilidium, derived from the Greek, down, the dorsal segment larger and with its tip lying over the base of the leaf next above it (incubus), under-leaves (amphigastra) similar but much smaller.

Male flowers (antheridia) short-stalked in the axils of more closely imbricate leaves.

Female flowers (archegonia) terminal, sometimes apparently lateral because a side branch has grown on beyond the stem which bears it. Bracts commonly two pairs, similar to the leaves.

Perianth free, several times longer than the bracts, cylindrical egg-shaped with constricted mouth.

Veil (calyptra) free.

Spore-case egg-shaped on a moderately long stalk (seta) dehiscing to the base by four rather rigid valves; spores dotted.

Elaters two to three spiral.

There are about eight species.

Ptilidium ciliare, Nees.--See Colour Plate XIV.

Habit and Habitat.--On fallen logs growing in loosely entangled purple, brown, or dark-green tufts.

Name.--The specific name ciliare, from the Latin cilia, lash, refers to the fine hairs on the margins of the leaves.

Plants (gametopythe).--The plants have stems 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, mostly erect; root hairs few at the base. Branches short, once or twice pinnate.

Leaves.--Crowded, hiding the stem, roundish; lobes lance-shaped, folded toward each other, the front lobe convex and parted half-way down, the back lobe similar, but much smaller; the margins all divided into numerous long hair-like teeth. Under leaves (amphigastra) pressed to the stem, rectangular, nearly as large as the upper, four- to five-lobed with marginal teeth. Leaf-cells small, roundish, with thick walls.

Habit of flowering.--Male and female flowers on separate plants, dioicous.

Perianth.--Pear-shaped, pale, dull yellow, mouth narrow, and margined with small short teeth. The bracts at the base unequally four-lobed with teeth like the leaves.

Spore-case.--Nearly spherical.

Genus BAZZANIA, Gr. and Benn.

The vegetative part of these plants grows in large mats, bright or dark green; the branching stems are 2 to 4 inches long, mostly creeping and bearing many long whip-like shoots with minute leaves and few whitish root-hairs.

The leaves are egg-shaped, over-lapping and embracing the stem half-way around, they are narrowed to the apex which is bluntly three-to five-toothed. The leaf-cells are six-sided and opaque. The male and female flowers are on separate plants (dioicous). The perianth is white and tubular with slight folds in the wall and splits open at one side, the leaves at the base (bracts) are very small, scale-like and slightly toothed.

The genus Bazzania may be easily distinguished from all other genera by the leaves which are dark green, three-toothed and have the anterior margin of each leaf lapping the posterior margin of the leaf in front.

The genus was named for M. Bazzani, an Italian professor of anatomy.

Bazzania trilobata, L.--See Plate X.

Habit and habitat.--On damp shady banks, forming extensive cushions.

Name.--The specific name trilobata is compounded of tres (tri-), three, and lobatus, lobed, referring to the apex of the leaf.

Plants (gametophyte).--Shining olive-green; stems simple or once- or twice-forked, 3 to 5 inches long; procumbent or creeping, rootlets few, beset on the under side with minute leafy scales; and numerous thread-like whips (flagellae) about an inch long.

Leaves.--Olive-green, the upper about 1 1/2 times longer than broad and placed at right angles to the stem in two rows, the sides of the leaves overlapping like shingles, the anterior margin of one leaf overlapping the posterior margin of the leaf in front, apex with three acute teeth, texture firm; the under leaves (amphigastra) broad, four-sided, apex three- to five-toothed.

Habit of flowering.--Female flowers on short branches on separate plants. Male flower-clusters minute aments, with folded and toothed bracts, antheridia solitary.

Perianth.--Highly exserted, nearly white, oblong, narrower upwards; mouth slit on one side and with a few teeth. Bracts at the base oval, fringed at the apex and delicate in texture.

Spore-case.--Dark shining-brown, ovate, on a long, slender, white pedicel, the valves slit to the base to form a Roman cross; elaters twice spiral.