REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION OF MOSSES. 293 



anum of the IS^orth (800 to 1,200 feet altitude). On the still lower ridges 

 and terraces south of the Tennessee Valley are found the Soutliern — 



Fabronia spj). Jlriivhia currisela. 



Cryphaea sp. Fuiiaria Jlaricann. 



Tlielia aspreUa. Phi/scomitriiim turhinatnm laiifjioisii. 



Thelia hscurii. Clasmatodon parvulua. 



Briichia sullivantii. Thuidium mierophijlJum. 



liriichia nigj-icans. 



with tlie Northern 



CUmaciuvi americanum. Campylium clirysoiilinUnm. 



lirachytheeium laeium. Stereodon currifoliiis. 



CawpyJium hispiduluvi. 



Of aquatic mosses, Fontinalis lescurii is common throughout the 

 mountain region from an elevation of 800 to 2,000 feet. The eastern 

 and most southern of the Appalachian ranges traversing the basin of 

 the Coosa River where the obdurate sandstones and flinty cherts pre- 

 vail, the arid flanks covered with open pine forests, are as poor in 

 mosses as the rolling i)ine barrens of the Maritime pine belt. Consid- 

 ering the large area unfavorable to the vegetation of mosses, it is not 

 to be expected that the moss flora will be found as rich and luxuriant 

 as in most of the Middle and Northern Atlantic States. 



In the Louisianian area only the lower division of the Coast pine 

 belt has been closely searched for mosses. In the Coast plain, with its 

 ample rainfall, mosses become again more abundant. Many of the 

 declivities of the pine-clad hills and the depressions between them, of 

 the exposed swampy banks of the pine barren streams, and of the flats 

 bordering the swamps in the plain, are covered with peat mosses 

 (S])hagnum) of various kinds. The greater part of them are common 

 from the Gulf to the Canadian lakes. Such are: 



Sphagnum rufescens. Sphagnum medium. 



Sphagnum reoirvum. ' Sphagnum imhricafiini cristafum. 



while others are confined to the subtropical region, namely : 



Sphagnum macrophyllum. Sphagnum mobiliense. 



Sphagnum microcarpum. Sphagnum mohrianitm. 



Sphagnum hidovicianum. 



In the open flat pine barrens of the Coast plain flourish during the 

 winter and the first days of spring the following, mostly Southern 

 types : 



liruchia donucllii. Bruchia curvisela. 



Bruchia sullivantii. Astomum Iiidovicianum. 



Bruchia ravenelii. Fissidens dounelUi. 



Bruchia drummondii. Fissidens rareneJii. 



Besides tliese the following of Northern distribution : 



Fissidens minutuhis. Fissidens siihbasilaris. 



Fissidens taxifolius. 



