264 Britton : Brvological notes 



at base for 2-3 inches, simply pinnate or bipinnately compound 

 (often with flagelliferous branches 2-3 inches long) leaves long- 

 acuminate. The cells are dorsally papillose to base, papillae are 

 larger at apex, spinose especially on the end of the vein, seta not 

 entirely immersed, capsule cylindric, 3 mm. long ; peristome pale, 

 papillose and densely nodose : endostome slightly perforate, also 

 pale and papillose. 



Hooker says that the peristome is red and the endostome pale- 

 yellow, but Schwaegrichen, pi. 140, in a colored plate, figures the 

 peristome as a light yellowish-green. 



Apparently this is a very rare species and it is doubtful if Sul- 

 livant saw typical specimens ! 



It is also to be remembered that Sullivant included among the 

 synonyms of Alsia abietina his Lcptodon circinalis. Again it seems 

 clear that Sullivant made a mistake in supposing that Hooker's 

 specimens were the same as his and in stating that Hooker's 

 specimens were not typical and that the smaller circinate plants 

 were the antheridial plants of the larger. He says : " The speci- 

 mens collected by Menzies, and figured by Hooker and Schwae- 

 grichen (I.e.), are unusually elongated and distinctly pinnate, 

 owing doubtless to local influences, and therefore do not represent 

 the normal form of the species, as here figured from numerous 

 specimens furnished by other collectors." A comparison of Sul- 

 livant's figures with those cited above will show the macroscopic 

 as well as the microscopic differences between these two species. 

 Specimens of Dcndroalsia abietina have been sent to me by J. B. 

 Leiberg from granite ledges near Lake Pend d'Oreille, Idaho, 

 which measure 8-10 inches in length, are doubly pinnate and 

 have long slender flagellate branches. They are also much less 

 circinate and show other differences from the smaller species, as 

 the following synopsis and description will indicate : 



Plants 4-10 inches high. Leaves papillose to base. D. abietina. 



Plants 2-4 inches high. Leaves papillose only at apex. D. circinalis. 



Dendroalsia circinalis (Sull.) 

 Lcptodon circinalis Sull. Bot. Pac. R.R. Survey. 4 : 189. pi. 1. 



1856. 

 Alsia abietina Sull. (in part) Icon. Muse. 1 15. pi. 72b. 1864. 



