— 3— 



What are these brood bodies, and what structures do they represent? 

 Evidently they are either metamorphesed buds or leaves. It may be con- 

 jectured that there was a time in the history of these plants when they were 

 destitute of sporophytes, and that vegetative reproduction was the only 

 means of their multiplication. Even at this day, were it not for this factor, 

 our moss flora would dwindle away and become but a remnant of what it 

 now is. By the action of winds, rains and snows, these brood bodies, as also 

 stem segments and leaves, are not only loosened from their attachments, but 

 are carried away, sometimes to considerable distances, and thus become 

 effective not only in the propagation but in the dissemination as well, of 

 the plants from which they were derived. 



HYLOCOMIUMS OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. 



By Annie Morrii.i, Smith. 



Key to the species. 



Leaves secund, sharply serrate at apex, costa long and sin- 

 gle: alar cells quadrate. 

 Leaves not secund (equally spreading). 

 Paraphyllia none. 



Leaves sulcate, bicostate: leaf cells enlarged at base, 

 Leaves slightly sulcate, faintly bicostate orecostate, 



a triangular patch of orange cells at angles, 

 Leaves not sulcate, faintly bicostate, alar cells some- 

 what enlarged and more hyaline, not inflated, 

 suddenly recurved-squarrose at tip, 

 Paraphyllia present. 



Leaves deeply sulcate, with long distinct double 



nerve, serrate in upper half, 

 Leaves obscurely bicostate: paraphyllia pinnate: 



branches 2-3 pinnate. 

 Leaves distinctly double nerved: parayhyllia minute: 



branches irregularly pinnate, 

 Leaves one-nerved to middle, coarsely serrate, 



I. rugosum 



3- 



triquetrum 

 parietinum 



4. squarrosum 



umbratum 



proliferum 



brevirostre 

 Pyrenaicum 



In the present study of Hylocomiums, eight'species found in northeast- 

 ern America have been included. Lesquereux & James' Manual cannot be 

 followed in this genus. H. rugosum is there placed in the subgenus 

 Rhytidium, H. Schreberi in the Calliergon group. I prefer to follow Lim- 

 pricht and include the latter among the Hylocomiums, dropping also Les- 

 quereux & James' subgenus Pleurozium, and counting all in one genus. H. 

 robusium and H. loreum are of western range only, and are therefore 



omitted. 



It is difficult to describe in words the differences which separate the 

 Hylocomiums from the Hypnums, but when once the general appearance 

 of the plants is learned, one can readily see a strong family resemblance. 

 They are of free and robust growth, loving both damp and shade as well as 

 the open situations. Most of our species of Hylocomiums fruit sparingly or 

 infrequently, the capsules maturing in late summer or autumn. H. rugosum 

 never fruits with us, but fruits abundantly in the Klondike. 



