EVANS—THE NORTH AMERICAN SPECIES OF ASTERELLA. 309 
DOUBTFUL SPECIES. 
Five North American species, proposed by Stephani under the gen- 
eric name Fimbriaria, still remain to be considered. Unfortunately 
the types of these species, which are presumably in the Boissier Herb- 
arium, are inaccessible at the present time; and the published descrip- 
tions, even when full, fail to throw light on all their important fea- 
tures. It is therefore impossible to reach definite conclusions re- 
garding their validity, and the writer can do nothing more than call 
attention to their probable position in the genus. Since, however, 
Stephani’s two new Canadian species, /’. commutata and F’. macount, 
have had to be reduced to synonymy, being based on variable and 
insufficient characters, and since many of his descriptions include in- 
correct or misleading phrases, it is natural to look upon his species 
and upon his descriptions with a good deal of suspicion, until they 
have been subjected to critical investigation. The five species were 
all based, at least in part, on Mexican material. 
1. FrMBRIARIA ARSENII Stephani, Sp. Hep. 6:11. 1917. 
Mexico: Without definite locality, Frére Arséne. 
The species described in the sixth volume of Stephani’s extensive Species 
Hepaticarum are treated with unusual brevity, important and even essential 
characters being often omitted. In the present instance nothing is said about 
the epidermis or the spores, except that the latter were immature in the material 
studied. The ventral scales are said to be large and deeply bifid, with the 
laciniae, or appendages, a little shorter than the basal portion, but the shape 
of the appendages and the peculiarities of their margins and apices are not 
alluded to. The air chambers are said to be low and “ filiferous’’ and the 
inflorescence is described as monoicous. The antheridia are stated to be grouped 
on lateral male branches, and the disk of the female receptacle to be um- 
bonate and 5-lobed, with short rounded lobes. In the case of the pseudoperi- 
anth the ovate and somewhat elongated form and the hyaline character are 
the only features mentioned, the number of divisions present not being stated. 
This last omission, however, is made by Stephani throughout his treatment of 
the genus. 
Without studying the actual type material it would be quite impossible to 
determine specimens from this brief and vague description or to decide the 
taxonomic status of the species. The situation of the antheridia on lateral 
branches might perhaps indicate a relationship with A. elegans, and a guess 
might be hazarded that F’, arsenit was a synonym of A. lateralis. Unfortu- 
nately it would be nothing more than a guess, since A. lateralis is distinguished 
from its allies largely by its spore characters. 
©. FIMBRIARIA ATRISPORA Stephani, Bull. Herb. Boiss. 7: 93. 1899. 
Mexico: Without definite localities, Schaffner, Maury. 
The most important characters assigned to the present species are the fol- 
lowing: ventral floral branches; narrow air chambers without “ filaments”; 
large epidermal pores, each surrounded by 6 radiating series of cells with 4 
or 5 cells in a series; large purple ventral scales, each bearing 1 or 2 long, 
lanceolate appendages, often ending in long-linear apices (2 cells wide); a 
monoicous inflorescence; a very small androecium, the number of antheridia 
