4. CONOCÉPHALUS, Neck. ([Pl. 22.])
Thallus dichotomous, copiously reticulate and porose, with a narrow costa; gemmæ none. Receptacle conic-mitriform, membranous. Involucres 5–8, tubular, 1-fruited, suspended from the apex of the peduncle; perianth none. Calyptra persistent, campanulate, 2–4-lobed at the apex. Capsule pedicelled, oblong-pyriform, dehiscing by 5–8 revolute segments. Elaters short, thick. Spores muriculate. Antheridia imbedded in an oval disk sessile near the apex of the thallus. (Name from κῶνος, a cone, and κεφαλή, a head.)
1. C. cónicus, Dumort. Thallus 2–6´ long, ½–¾´ wide; receptacle conic, striate, crenate. (Fegatella conica, Corda.)—Shady banks; common. (Eu.)
5. GRIMÁLDIA, Raddi. ([Pl. 23.])
Thallus thick, more or less channelled, dichotomous, innovating from the apex, with thick epidermis, closely areolate and porose-scabrous above, purple and more or less scaly beneath; gemmæ none. Monœcious or diœcious. Receptacle peduncled, hemispherical or conoidal, 3–4-lobed. Involucres as many, 1-fruited, each a distention of the lobe. Capsule filling the involucre, circumscissile in the middle, the calyptra persistent at its base. Antheridia in an oval or obcordate disk immersed in the apex of the thallus. (Named for D. Grimaldi, an Italian botanist.)
1. G. bárbifrons, Bisch. ([Pl. 23.]) Thallus linear-obcuneate, 3–6´´ long, 1–2´´ wide, 2-lobed at the apex, pale green with usually distinct whitish pores, the scales beneath often extending far beyond the margin and becoming whitish; peduncle profusely chaffy at base and apex, sometimes much reduced; antheridial disks obcordate. (Including G. sessilis, Sulliv.)—Thin soil on rocks, Conn. and N. J. to Iowa; rare or local. (Eu.)
2. G. rupéstris, Lindenb. Thallus 3–6´´ long, 1–3´´ wide, with membranous margins; receptacle small, hemispherical, 1–4-fruited, the peduncle about 1´ high, sparingly scaly at base, barbulate at the apex; involucre short, crenulate; spores tuberculate. (Duvalia rupestris, Nees.)—On calcareous or shaly rocks, N. Y. and Ohio. (Eu.)
6. ASTERÉLLA, Beauv. ([Pl. 22.])
Thallus rigid, very indistinctly porose, the midrib broad, strong and distinct. Receptacle conic-hemispheric, becoming flattened, 1–6- (usually 4-) lobed. Monœcious. Involucres coherent with the lobes, 1-fruited, 2-valved. Calyptra minute, lacerate, persistent at the base of the capsule. Capsule greenish, rupturing by irregular narrow teeth or by a fragmentary operculum. Elaters moderately long, mostly 2-spiral. Spores tuberculate. Antheridia in sessile lunate disks. (Diminutive of aster, a star, from the form of the receptacle.)
1. A. hemisphæ̀rica, Beauv. Thallus forking and increasing by joints, pale green, purple beneath; receptacle papillose on the summit (less so at maturity); peduncle bearded at base and apex, ¾–1´ long, often 2–3 times longer after maturity. (Reboulia hemisphærica, Raddi.)—Shaded banks, chiefly along streams; more common southward.—A smaller form or perhaps variety (Reboulia microcephala, Nees; R. Sullivantii, Lehm.) occurs in Penn., Ohio, and southward. (Eu.)