EVANS—THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF ASTERELLA. 277 
often regular reticulum, with meshes about 2 uw wide, formed by delicate lines 
slightly darker than the rest of the wall and scarcely elevated above the general 
surface level, the surface otherwise smooth or with occasional low ridges or 
tubercles, these never forming a reticulum; elaters straight or slightly curved, 
yellowish brown, mostly 140 to 200 » long and 10 to 14 » wide, scarcely tapering 
toward the rounded ends, the median portion with 1 to 3 spirals, the ends with 
1 or 2. 
A rare alpine and arctic species, growing on soil among rocks; widely dis- 
tributed in North America, Europe, and Asia, but still known from compara- 
tively few stations. The following specimens have been examined: 
YuKon: Hunker Creek, 1902, J. Macoun 61 (N. Y., ¥.; cited by the writer, as 
A. fragrans, in Ottawa Nat. 17: 14. 1903). 
BritisuH CotumBIA: Telegraph Creek, 1887, Dawson 327 (N. Y.; cited by Un- 
derwood, as A. fragrans, in Bot. Gaz. 20: 61, 1895). 
Ipauo: Kootenai County, 1891, Leiberg 87 (N. ¥.; cited by Underwood, 
loc. cit.). 
WasHincton: Near Fort Colville, 1861, collector’s name wanting (N. Y.). 
SWITZERLAND: Branson, near Martigny, Schleicher (N. Y.; probable type of 
Marchantia fragrans Schleich.) ; same locality, 1832, Blanchet (N. Y.); be- 
tween the Riffel and the Gorner Grat, Mitten (N. Y.). 
IraLy: Mont-Cenis, date and collector’s name wanting (N. Y.). 
Austria: Near Krems, Baumgartner (C. C. H., N. ¥., U. 8.5 distributed, as 
Hypenantron fragrans, in Krypt. Exsic. Mus. Vinden., no, 282). 
The following authentic records for the species may likewise be of interest: 
GeRMANY: Various localities in the Harz Mountains, Hampe, Wallroth, 
Quelle, and others (frequently cited in literature). 
France: Col de la Vanoise, 1893, Seville (listed by Boulay in Musc, France 
2: 187. 1904). 
Iraty: Near Belluno, Cadore, Pampanini, and between the Col delle Erbe and 
the Ricordo Canias, Friuli, DeGaspari (both cited by Zodda in Nuov. Gior. Bot. 
Ital, 19:31. 1912). 
Austria: Groisbach and Diirnstein, Baumgartner (cited by Miiller, in Raben- 
horst’s Krypt. Fl. 6: 273. 1907). 
Russta: Kongur, Perm, Brenner, Arnell (listed by Lindberg & Arnell, Svensk. 
Vet, Akad. Handl. 23°: 10. 1889). 
SipertaA: Stolba, Yeniseisk, Arnell (cited by Lindberg & Arnell, loc. cit.) ; 
Poddale, Amur, Maximowice (cited by Lindberg in Acta Soe. Sci. Fenn. 10: 259, 
1872) ; Kamchatka, Tilesius (type locality for Marehantia saccata). 
Several other records for the species may be found in the literature but are 
more or less open to suspicion, A few of these are noted below. 
The synonymy of this rare species is very much involved, owing largely to 
the fact that the earlier writers confused it with the much more abundant 
Grimaldia fragrans (Balb.) Corda. The latter species was originally de- 
scribed and figured by Balbis,’ under the name Marchantia fragrans, from 
specimens collected on the southern slopes of the Pennine Alps in northern 
Italy. A few years later Schleicher discovered Asterella saccata at the village 
of Branson, near Martigny, Switzerland, on the northern slopes of the same 
range of mountains, and distributed specimens under the name Marchantia 
fragrans Balb., supposing them to be identical with the Italian plant. 
Schleicher did not publish a description of these Swiss specimens but De 
Candolle did so, in 1805, the name assigned to them being “ Marchantia fragrans 
1Mém. Acad. Sci. Turin 12: 76, pl. 2. 1802-03. 
