CE VS 
1900 | Seymour, — Fruiting of Riccia natans 161 
thirds are growing and in good condition, and in a short time I hope 
to have this portion of our flora complete. Little or no attempt has 
been made to arrange the plants according to any system of classifi- 
cation, the chief aim being to provide natural habitats and surround- 
ings, asfar as possible. Fora record of observations, made up to the 
end of the season of 1898, on the plants of the garden I may refer 
any one interested to Bulletin XVII of the Natural History Society of 
New Brunswick. 
Sr. JOHN, NEw BRUNSWICK. 
THE FRUITING OF RICCIA NATANS. 
A. B. SEYMOUR. 
Riccia natans is abundant in a small pond near Mount Auburn, 
Cambridge. Early in the season the surface of the pond is well 
covered with it, as observed by Prof. L. M. Underwood and myself 
in 1891. Presumably, it abounds every spring, but I have given it 
no attention since 1891, till now. Early this spring it was floating in 
great abundance along the shore of the pond. In June the pond, 
which is shallow, becomes filled with a growth of water-grasses and 
other plants, and the water in the pond is considerably lower than at 
first, even in a season that is not very dry. 
The tendency of the winds is to wash the floating Azccza ashore 
and as the water recedes the plants are left on the mud. Weeds 
soon spring up and hide them. 
I have heard conflicting reports regarding the fruiting of this 
plant. One says it fruits floating, another that it fruits on the mud. 
The fact is, that fruit is found after the spores have had time to 
mature. I have examined the plants this spring, from week to week, 
from the earliest indication of fruiting to the completion of mature 
spores. ‘The first mature spores were found about June 1, on both 
floating plants and those fixed to the mud. Now, at the end of June, 
no floating plants are seen. Plants on the mud have abundant spores 
at full maturity. The fruit is figured in Gray's Manual. 
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. 
