61 



SPHAGNUM AUSTIN! 



In May, 1873, Dr. Braithwaite gave excellent figures, with a 

 description of this Sphagnum, in the "Monthly Microscopical 

 Journal," concluding with the observation, " lam indebted to Prof. 

 Lindberg for specimens of this fine Sphagnum, which we may 

 reasonably hope will some day be found in Scotland." 



In the " Journal of Botany " for September appears a letter 

 from Dr. D. Moore to the following effect : — " I enclose specimens 

 of Sphagnum Austini, Sullivant, which Dr. Lindberg recognised 

 among a collection of Mosses which I made in the Island of Lewis 

 in 1808. I had supposed the plant to be a remarkable variety of 

 S. cymbifolium,) differing so widely from the typical form of the 

 species as to wan ant me in making a diagnosis of its characters. 

 It is geographically interesting to find a species not rare in North 

 America inhabiting the Western Isles of Scotland. It grew on 

 extensive flat boggy moors, and forms large hummocks sometimes 

 18 inches to two feet above the surrounding level. 



The following is Dr. Braithwaite's description : — 



Sphagnum Austini, Sullivant, in Austin's Musci Appalachian]'. 

 Ic. Muse. Supp. i. ined., No. 2, Lindberg Contrib. ad Fl. Crypt 

 Asia3. Bor. Or., p. 280 (1872). 



Dioicous; much resembling Sph. papillosum and the American 

 Sph. Porloricejise, more or less ochraceous. Stems frequently 

 dichotomous, dark-brown, the bark composed of four strata of cells, 

 the outer qnadrato-hexagonal, without fibres, the inner with very 

 fine fibres and large pores. 



Branches closely placed 3 in a fascicle, 2 divergent, attenuated at 

 points, 1 pendent, short, slender, oppressed to stem; cortical cells 

 with fine spiral fibres. Canline leaves, Ungulate, obtuse, minutely 

 fringed at apex, the areolation as in Spjh. cymbifolium. Ramuline 

 harts, closely imbricated, ovate-oblong, concave, more deeply coloured 

 at apex, which is also less cucullate, but with cells strongly project- 

 ing on the back ; cells large, the hyaline filled with fibres, and 

 having several large foramina. The cldorophyl lose obtusely trigonous, 

 projecting between the hyaline on the concave surface of the leaf The 

 internal wall of the hyaline cells, where united to the chlorophyllose, 

 densely crested with prominent papilla'. 



Fruit but little exserted ; peduncular bracts oblong, convolute, 

 minutely fimbriate at the rounded apex, cells of the lower third, 

 empty, narrow, parenchymatous, above normal, more or less fibrous, 

 with large pores. The adjacent walls transversely striate by the 

 large papillae. Spores ferruginous. 



Hat), swamps. United States. Sweden. 



Anthocexos laevis.— During a visit in July to the south-west of 

 Ireland, with Dr. Lindberg, we found this rare species, not before 

 known to grow in Ireland, in one place only near Ventry, co. 

 Kerry. — D. Moore, in Journ. Bot. 



