162 MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY, BRYOPHYTES [BoT. Absts., Vol. VII, 



1077. Weatherwax, Paul. A misconception as to the structure of the ear of maize. 

 Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 47: 359-362. 6 fig. 1920.— The fact that the rows of an ear of corn 

 always occur in pairs and that, if one member of a pair is dropped part way up the ear, both 

 are, has led to the natural inference that "these irregularities are due to the discontinuance 

 of one or more rows of paired spikelets." Collins, in his recent theory as to the origin of the 

 ear, maintains that each pair of spikelets is yoked structurally with another pair on the oppo- 

 site side and that reduction in number from base to tip is due to the loss of spikelets from 

 yoked pairs. Observation, hov/ever, does not bear out Collins' contention. Examples are 

 given in which loss of only one pair, and not of yoked pairs, occurs. [See also Bot. Absts. 7, 

 Entry 246.]— P. A. Mum. 



MORPHOLOGY AND TAXONOMY OF BRYOPHYTES 



Alexander W. Evans, Editor 



107S. Andrews, A. LeRoy. Tortula caroliniana, new species. Bryologist 23 : 72-76. 

 PL 5. 1920. — A description and figures of a new propaguliferous Tortula from North Caro- 

 lina are given, with extended discussion of its relationships and of the apparent identity 

 with it of certain specimens from central and western Mexico.—^. B. Chamberlain. 



1079. Arnell, H. W., and C. Jensen. En bryologisk utflykt till Vastmanland. [A 

 bryological trip to Vastmanland.] Svensk. Bot. Tidskr. 12:298-323. 1918.— In the latter 

 part of September, 1915, the authors, in company with G. Samuelsson and E. Melin, visited 

 the northern portion of Vastmanland, Sweden, and the results of this trip are recorded in 

 the present paper. The bryophytes collected are first listed separately for each of the locali- 

 ties explored, with definite notes regarding substrata. A systematic catalogue of all the species 

 found is then given. This includes 87 hepatics, 29 Sphagna, and 190 mosses, giving a total 

 of 306 species. Two new varieties are described under Bryum inclinatum, and Martinellia 

 mucronata (H. Buch), originally published as Scapania niucronata, is proposed as a new com- 

 bination. In conclusion attention is again drawn to some of the more noteworthy forms 

 collected, and the various species of Sphagnum are tabulated according to their special 

 habitats.— M^ W. Gilbert. 



1080. Brewster, A. A. Dawsonia polytrichoides, a hardy moss. Australian Nat. 4: 

 164-166, 168-169. PI. 4. 1920. — The author gives a somewhat popular discussion of the 

 structure and reproduction of Dawsonia polytrichoides R. Br. — T. C. Frye. 



1081. Bryan, Geo. S. The fusion of the ventral canal cell and egg in Sphagnum subsecun- 

 dum. Amer. Jour. Botany 7: 223-230. PL U, 15. 1920.— See Bot. Absts. 6, Entry 979. 



1082. Dixon, H. N. Contributions to antarctic bryology. Bryologist 23:65-71. PL 4- 

 1920. — The article deals with two collections of mosses, one from Deception Island, South 

 Shetlands, and the other from South Georgia. Deception Isalnd, which has been isolated 

 from a remote period, is a high mountain shell surrounding a sea-filled crater; a small lagoon 

 fed by hot springs maintains a temperature considerably above the surrounding ocean. 

 These conditions seem unique. One small collection yielded 8 species of mosses, one of 

 which, Bryum crateris, was new to science. The moss flora of South Georgia contains about 

 45 per cent endemic species. In the present article 8 species are listed, two, Andreaea sub- 

 remotifolia and Verrucidens intermedius, being new to science. — E. B. Chamberlain. 



1083. Fleischer, M. [Rev. of: Schiffner, V. Uber Lophozia Hatcheri und L. Bauer- 

 iana. (On Lophoria Hatcheri and L. Baueriana.) Oesterreich. Bot. Zeitschr. 66: 83-88. 

 Ifig. 1916.] Hedwigia 60: (Beiblatt) 35-36. 1918.— In comparing L. i^aic^eri of Patagonia 

 with the closely related L. Baueriana of Europe and North America Schiffner reached the 

 conclusion that these two species ought not to be considered synonyms. In commenting on 



