Hab. Lord Auckland's group ; growing in dense tufts of mosses and Hepatica, on exposed rocks towards the lull tops.
Frondes laxe csespitosse, vix -§- uric, longse, -^ crassitudine, olivaceEe, ascendentes, lineari-oblongse, crassse, concavse, hinc inde lobatae, apicibus procumbentibus bilobis, lobis rotundatis integerrimis conniventibus, marguubus integria incurvis. Substantia carnosa, intus spongiosa, laxe cellulosa.
This being quite unlike any of the hitherto described Hepatica, we attached the generic name ofRiccia from a certain resemblance in the form of it's frond to several species of that genus, but the plant is more probably allied to some frondose Jungermannia, — /. epiplnjUa for instance. The concave frond with entire connivent lobes, par-takes of the habit of that of Collema granulation, Ach., but our plant is certainly a Hepatica.
Plate LXVT. Fig, V. — 1, a specimen of the natural size; 2, a frond, and 3, a section of the same; magnified.
XXXV. FUNGI, L.
(By the Rev. M. J. Berkeley.)
The number of Fungi collected during the Expedition is very small, in proportion to that of other cryptogarnic plants, with the exception of those found in New Zealand and Van Diemen's Land. In the more southern localities, Fungi may naturally be expected to cease, sooner than Algre, Lichens, and Mosses ; and accordingly, from such localities, the amount of species is trifling indeed. Even where the degree of cold is not sufficient to prevent the growth of Fungi, their fructification is materially affected ; and thus, in the higher forms, the hymenium will frequently be found barren ; while, in some hypoga;ous species, transformations of the sporophores themselves take place, causing the fructifying mass to assume a very anomalous appearance. Some species indeed, as Pilobolus crystallinus and Hydropliora stercorea, seem to flourish most in the frosty nights of autumn, and the species of the genus Chatonypha and Lanosa nivalis thrive either beneath or upon the surface of the snow ; but I know of uo other exceptions to the more general habit of these species, and in these cases, the temperature either does not descend below the freezing point, or, as in the case of the CJiatonypha, vegetation takes place only when the surface of the snow is just melting under the influence of the sun.
Amongst the more northern islands visited by the Expedition it is probable that some interesting forms, had time allowed, would have rewarded further research ; though, indeed, constant attention was directed, even to the obscurest forms of vegetation, wherever circumstances would permit. As it is, there is a considerable number of new species to describe, and some of them possess much interest, especially a new Cyttaria from Cape Horn, the specimens of which are so numerous as to afford an excellent opportunity of examining the structure of this curious genus ; which, like Fodisoma and Gymnosporangium, which infest certain species of Juniper, developes itself on the living branchlets of the deciduous-leaved Beech. Some of the species, like those of other Cryptogams, are identical with plants of the Northern Hemisphere ; and this is especially observable in New Zealand, where the identity is not confined to those families in which it is more usual.
1. AGARICUS, Z.
1. Agabicus pyx'ulatus, Bulliard, tab. bQS.fig. 2.
Var. /3, hepaticus, Fries Epicr. p. 122. Ag. subhepaticus, Batsch El., fig. 211.
Hab. Lord Auckland's group ; in the woods near the sea.
A plant, so far as can be judged from the specimens, which were much damaged by insects before being
