—30— 



human. The service this master has thus rendered to bryology will lead all to 

 keep him in grateful memory, and pay him the respect he deserves for his un- 

 selfish devotion to science. 



Only a brief notice of the more striking departures from current views is 

 possible here. Every one will be struck with the position the author assigns to 

 the Sphagnaceae, which he places after Leucobryaceae, Group 12, following 

 with Funarioideae, Group 14. After a careful characterization of the group, he 

 argues that there is no valid ground for separating these mosses from the Bryineae 

 proper. 



The other departure from contemporary views, is conditioned by his posi- 

 tion as a "Centralist," to use Dr. Schliephacke's term, who considers that "de- 

 centralization, that is, the separation of larger genera into several smaller ones, 

 has become, so to speak, a trait of modern times." Dr. Mueller held to fewer 

 centers. As a result, many names recognized as of generic value by others, ap- 

 pear as section names under his genera. Whether his views are finally accepted 

 or not, his discussions, including all possible criticisms, all available morpho- 

 logical and historical considerations, will prove of the greatest value to all moss 

 students. ^/o;^« M Holzuigej-. 



DISCELIUn NUDUM (Dicks.) Brid. IN NEW JERSEY. 



During the latter part of November, 1896, while botanizing along the rail- 

 road about a mile above Stockton, N. J., my attention was attracted by a blue- 

 ish-green protonemal growth which appeared in patches on the bottom of an 

 excavation in the railroad bank. On the filaments of this growth were minute 

 buds from which sporophytes were just commencing to shoot. Being unable to 

 identify the plant at this time, a month later I visited the spot again, i^'hen I 

 found the capsules, although quite immature, yet sufficiently developed to make 

 a diagnosis possible, especially by the aid of the calyptras, which were clasp- 

 ing the stems just below the capsules. This was indeed the rare Discelium 

 nudum, not before known from New Jersey. 



The veteran bryologist, Mr. E. A. Rau, informs me that this moss was first 

 collected many years ago in this country at Painesville, Ohio, by Dr. Beardslee, 

 and that this remained the only locality until he collected it near Bethlehem, Pa., 

 May 19, 1873. About two weeks later. Dr. Francis Wolle found it in another 

 locality, not far, however, from Mr. Rau's. So far as is known, these were the 

 only localities in this country for it until found in New Jersey. In Europe it 

 appears to be nearly or quite as rare. 



Discelium nudum is usually found along the line of excavations, especially 

 rail and wagon roads, on a hard sandy clay substratum, in the basin-like depres- 

 sions of which muddy water settles, and drying up, leaves a sedimentaceous layer. 

 It is on this during the latter part of autumn that the protonemata appear, and 

 although the capsules make their appearance during the early part of winter, 

 they do not mature until the following April or May. When I visited the local- 

 ity above referred to, about the middle of April, the greenish color of the plants 



