BR. ltndberg's cokteibtjtions to bbittsu buyoloqy. 4G5 



V. Orthotrichum leiocarpum. 



In describing tins species (Brj. Eur. fasc. 2 & 3, Monog, 

 p. 2S. no. 31, 1S37) Messrs. Eruch and Schimpcr have written in a 

 note (p. 29), "comme c'est la seule espece du genre Orthotrichum 

 qui ait la capsule depourvue de raies, nous Tappelons O. leio- 

 carpiim (a fruit lisse) en rejetant la denomination * striatum ' 

 qu'on avait conservee jusqu'ici." 



This alteration of the specific name would be justified, if only 

 the older authors, as Linne, &c., had really taken the deno- 

 mination from the capsule \ but this they have not done, giving the 

 species its name from the striated veil. In all his works the great 

 Linne says positively "calyptris striatis " — a character, indeed, 

 rather common in the genus, but not to be altered when we retain 

 e. g. Ca/rex paludosa^ Good., althougli nearly all sedges grow in 

 bogs. We must therefore retain Orthotrichum striatum (L.) 

 Smith, n. Brit, iii. p. 1262. no. 1 (1804). 



VI. Leucolryum glaucum. 



In ' Tr. Bot, Soc. Edin.' iii. p. 194. t. 12 (1849), the very 

 acute observer, B. Spruce, first pointed out that there exist in the 

 connate walls of the cells in the nerve of the leaf of Leucohryum 

 glaucum large circular perforations ; but he added that he was 

 unable to find any holes on tlie surface of the leaf. And, indeed, 

 the transparent margin of the base is constructed of only a single 

 layer of cells, with so very thin a membrane, that without arti- 

 ficial help the pores in their outer walls are quite imperceptible. 

 If we place the leaf for some minutes in a strong solution of 

 caustic soda, then clean it scrupulously in distilled water, and 

 lay it in a solution of superiodate of zinc + iodide of potassium (or 

 of nitrate of silver ; in which case the leaf must be dried in a dark 

 place, and afterwards placed in full sunshine), we shall have an 

 object with contour sharp enough to be obsen^ed under the mi- 

 croscope. We then find that the thin cells in the margin of 

 the leaf-base have very large pores, sometimes two in the same 

 wall, and occasionally divided by a very narrow bridge, formed 

 by the membrane itself, into two holes. Their form depends 



&c. Very 



very 



on the upperside of the leaf coincide with others on its underside, 

 but never perfectly so — the one being larger than the other, 



