730 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



J. Roll * discusses at some length the old and the new method of 

 research among the Sphagnaceae. The following are contrasts between 

 Warnstorf's views and his own : — 1. Against Warnstorf's constant 

 specific types arc placed Roll's groups of forms. 2. Forma typica of 

 Warnstorf (i.e. a middle-point) is not accepted by Roll. 3. Warastorf 

 for his specific type lays little stress upon the numerous varieties and 

 forms ; whereas Roll for his system lays stress upon abundance of forms, 

 their study in the held, and in different countries and numerous stations. 

 4. Roll does not mistake the value of the specific type of the diagnosis 

 for naming specimens, but regards it only as an aid to scientific investi- 

 gation. 5. Roll considers it practical to cite only the characteristic 

 differences in the diagnosis of a group of forms. 6. Roll regards the 

 pores of the branch-leaves as unessential specific characters, and attaches 

 a greater importance to the shape of the stem-leaves. 7. Roll claims to 

 observe the Vienna international code, in opposition to Warnstorf's 

 practice of manipulating fragments of form-groups, and renaming this 

 and ignoring that. 8. In doubtful cases Roll prefers the diagnosis 

 drawn from numerous varieties and forms, rather than that which is 

 founded on a single specimen. 



Grimaldia and Neesiella.f — V. Schiffner gives a morphological and 

 biological account of the genera Grimaldia and Neesiella (or Duvalki), 

 with special reference to the rare alpine species Grimaldia camica, 

 which is known only from five scattered stations. He shows in parallel 

 columns the chief differences between the two genera, as indicated by the 

 leading authorities, and criticises these generic differences point by poi-nt. 

 He finds that the typical species of Grimahlia (G. dichotoma and G. 

 ragrans), with G. camica, and its very near ally or possibly synonym, 

 G. pilosa, differ in no essential way from Neesiella rupestris in structure 

 of female receptacle and rudiments of involucre. The differences which 

 he considers sufficient to keep the two geuera separate he draws up in 

 parallel columns ; they mainly concern the external appearance and the 

 structure of the frond. G. camica and G. pilosa, whether or not distinct 

 from one another, agree point by point with Neesiella, and must be in- 

 cluded in that genus. In Grimaldia remain the following species : — 

 G. dichotoma, G. fragrans, G. capensis, G. califomka, G. graminosa. 

 Neesiella camica stands in closest phylogenetic relationship with N. 

 rupestris. In an appendix he adds some observations about G. dichotoma 

 and the effect upon it of altered conditions of life. 



Spermatogenesis in Mosses and Liverworts. J — W. and J. van 

 Leeuwen-Reijnvaan have studied several specimens of Reboulia, Preissia, 

 Fegatella, and Conocephalu*, with special regard to centrosomes and to 

 reduction-divisions. Their conclusions are based upon Fegatella conica, 

 but the results obtained with other genera appear to be confirmatory of 

 those given by this genus. There appears to be no doubt that centro- 

 somes are present during reduction-divisions in the antheridia of 

 Liverworts. A species of Milium, also examined, confirms the state- 



* Hedwigia, xlvii. (1908) pp. 330-53. t Tom. cit., pp. 306-20 (1 pi.). 



\ Ber. Bot. Gesell. xxvia. (1908) pp. 301-9 (1 pi.). 



