ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 77 



Studies on the Biology and Geography of Mosses. I. Biology 

 and Ecology of Mosses. — C. Grebe {Hedwigia, 1917, 59, 1-205 ; see 

 also Bot. Oentralbl, 1918, 137, 87). This may be called a band- 

 book of practical biology and ecology of mosses, and is the result of 

 very numerous observations made by the author during long decades. 

 He has studied the mosses of all the mountainous districts of Central 

 Germany ifi situ, as has never been done previously ; and while he con- 

 tents himself principally with recording his actual observations, he 

 follows the teleological methods of thought when he seeks to explain 

 them. The work contains the following sections : — (1) Humicolous, 

 Humus-fed, and Saprophyte. (2) The biology of water- and swamp- 

 mosses. (3) The xerophytic structure of the xerophilous mosses. (4) Be- 

 haviour of mosses towards light and shade. (5) Moss vegetation of 

 woodland formations. (6) Calcicolous mosses and their behaviour to the 

 substratum. (7) Fresh mineral soil and its influences. (8) Biology of 

 the inflorescence. (9) The peristome of mosses and its functions. 

 (10) Appropriateness in organic structure in mosses. Each section is 

 further sub-divided, and the subjects discussed from all sides. E. S. Q. 



Bryological Novelties. — C. Warnstorf {Bryol. Zeitschr., 1916, 1, 

 33 ; see also Bot. Oentralbl, 1918, 137, 108). The result of a 

 series of small investigations of the structure and systematic position of 

 certain Bryophytes. Fhuroclada albescens is compared with P. islandica, 

 and the latter is proved to be merely a delicate habitat-form, having 

 small, widely separated leaves. In Mnium affine an abnormal leaf for- 

 mation, with very strong, forked midrib, is described. Vegetative 

 propagation has been observed in Sphagnum molluscum ; a lateral shoot 

 having stem characters with leafy branchlets was found in the place of 

 the usual branch tuft ; and on normal stems there occur single long 

 subcomal shoots ; also there occurred, on an otherwise normal stem of 

 ^S'. amblyphyllum, a stem-like lateral shoot arising from the base of 

 a branch-tuft, and bearing a small terminal head and slightly developed 

 leaves. Fontinalis antipyretica var. mollissima is described, and support 

 is given to the view that F. arvernica is a variety of F. antipyretica ; as 

 also F. fasciculata Lindb. var. danubica Cardot, from the bank of the 

 Danube at Neustadt, and F. Lachenaudi Cardot. On the other hand, 

 var. laxa of F. antipyretica is regarded as worthy of specific rank. A 

 hermaphrodite flower is recorded for Pohlia nutans, hitherto known as 

 protogynous. Finally, nematode colonies are described in Grimmia 

 montana. E. S. G. 



Scapania paludicola Loeske at C. Mull. : Contributions to the 

 Question of Parallel Forms in Mosses. — L. Loeske {Ungar. bot. 

 Blatter, 1915, 298-302 ; see also Bot. Centralbl, 1918, 137, 

 135, 136). A detailed discussion of the two species of Scapania, 

 which are united under S, paludosa C. Mull. — namely, S. imdulata- 

 paludosa and S. irrigua-paludosa. Both are alike in inhabiting swamps 

 at high altitude, in their lax growth, their pale green colour, and in 

 having a short, remarkable arcuately curved commissure. The different 

 species are distinguished without difficulty by their areolation. In 



