-63- 



iii late iuilulun Lo early spring. The beginner would best nut try 

 to identify sterile specime as unless they have some striking char- 

 acter. If a perfect specimen cannot be identified, make careful 

 notes and send the specimen and notes to some one who has a 

 better knowledge of mosses. 



THE CATHARINEAS. 



THE hair-cap mosses and the Pogonatums belong to the family 

 Polytrichaceae, which in some respects is the most highly de- 

 veloped of all the mosses. The stem has a central axis of 

 specialized tissue that in structure and function shows a near ap- 

 proach to the central hbro-vascular bundle of the ferns and their 

 aUies. The most notable member of the family in point of size 

 is the magnificent Dawsoniaof Australia, which reaches a height 

 of 14 inches and has leaves an inch or more in length. There are 

 several other genera belonging to this family, some of which are 

 represented in North America, but the only other genus which 

 our readers are likely to meet with is Catharinea, which, in 1780, 

 was named by Erhart for the Empress Catharine II. of Russia, 

 but sixty-four years later Bruch and Schimper changed its name 

 to Atrichum.* If our readers are troubled by the recent changes 

 of plant names, this instance will show them the justice of restor- 

 ing names long in use but arbitrarily rejected by the caprice of 

 a prominent botanical writer. 



The Catharineas will be easily recognized by reference to 

 Figs. 1-3. They have the lamellate costa of the hair-caps and a 

 peristome of 32 teeth, similar in all respects. The calyptra, how- 

 ever, has become almost bald and shows mere traces of hairs in 

 the spine-like projections near its apex (Fig. 3). The wavy Cath- 

 arinea (C undulaia) is one of our most common and conspicuous 

 mosses, being abundant evey where on moist, shady banks. The 

 novice will find it not always easy to distinguish the narrow- 

 leaved Catharinea (which is less frequent and the only other spe- 

 cies likely to be met with) from the wavy Catharinea. 'llie wavy 

 Catharinea has the leaves rather acute, serrate to the base ; upper 

 leaf cells irregular and rounded ; capsule more or less curved, fre- 

 quently several together. The narrow-leaved Catharinea is 

 more slender; leaves more obtuse, less undulate, serrate in the 



*See Mrs. Rritton's article in the (VufVir/- for May, 18114. 



