226 Best : North American Pseudoleskea 



refers, was collected by Greville on Ben Lawers. There is there- 

 fore no doubt as regards the identity of this species as the leaf-cells 

 are distinctive. 



Under Pseudoleskea, Limpricht* recognizes but two species, 

 P. patens (Lindb.) and P. atrovirens (Dicks.), the last with var. 

 brachyclados and var. tenella. While it is plain that P. patens is 

 the same as Dickson's plant, it is not so plain as to what is to be 

 understood by his P. atrovirens. Nor do the exsiccatae which he 

 cites help matters much. As these appear in the herb. Jaeger, 



■ 



they but loosely fit the description he gives. In point of fact the 

 exsiccatae belong to a species already referred to as passing for 

 P. atrovirens and whose proper name must be ferreted out of the 

 synonyms of this species. It is closely related to P. oligoclada 

 Kindb. and is probably Leskea inciirvata Hedw. 



Leskea brachyclados Schwaegr.f usually considered a variety 

 of P. atrovirens, has given rise to its share of confusion. Limpricht 

 states that "diese varietat von den Autoren sehr verschieden 

 gedeutet," as it certainly is if reliance can be placed on the type 

 kindly loaned Mrs. Britton by M. Autran from herb. Boissier. 

 This plainly shows that Leskea brachyclados is more closely related 

 to P. radicosa (Mitt.) than to Dickson's plant, in fact it is scarcely 

 distinct from it. Limpricht's var. brachyclados is probably a good 

 species. 



* 



2. Pseudoleskea oligoclada Kindberg, Bull. Torr. Club, 



17 : 277. 1890. [PI. 6] 



In rigid spreading tufts, yellow-green to reddish brown, usually 

 with a subvitreous lustre. Stems 3-6 cm. long, prostrate -ascend- 

 ing, sparingly branched, curved at the tips : branches unequal, sub- 

 julaceous, recurved : paraphyllia numerous : stem leaves close, 

 6-8-ranked, appressed when dry, erect speading when moist, fal- 

 cate-secund, biplicate, margins more or less recurved ; from an 

 oblong-ovate subdecurrent base, somewhat gradually narrowed 

 into a long, serrate or entire acumen, 1.2- 1.5 mm. long, .45-6 

 mm. wide : costa stout, round, toothed on lower surface, disappear- 

 ing in the acumen : cells of stem leaves not uniform, rather small 

 and compact, with rounded-obtuse ends ; primordial utricle usually 

 distinct ; median cells smooth on lower surface, lightly unipapil- 



* Die Laubmoose, 2 : 805. 1896. 



f Schulte. Reise auf den Glockner, 2 : 364. 1804. 



