298 EVANS 



It had previously been reported from Greenland^ and from tropical 

 America (New Granada).^ The plant is probably much less rare in 

 America than might be inferred from these meager published notices, 

 and has in fact already been twice distributed under different names 

 in ' Hepaticffi Americanae' (no. 83, as iV". creiiuliformis^ and no. 113, 

 as Junger mannia cor dif olid). In both instances the specimens were 

 collected by the writer in the White Mountain region. The Alaskan 

 plants referred to Nardia obovata agree perfectly with authentic 

 European specimens, except that it is impossible to demonstrate the 

 paroicous inflorescence in a wholly satisfactory manner. Some of the 

 Farragut Bay specimens have i^ipe capsules and these show, below the 

 adnate perichiEtial bracts, a few slightly saccate leaves, which may well 

 be the perigonial bracts. Other specimens show young antheridia, but 

 no archegonia ; some of the Antheridia, however, are extremely imma- 

 ture, and it is possible that the female organs have not yet begun to 

 develop. It should be noted also that European authors are not 

 unanimous in ascribing a paroicous inflorescence to this species ; Herr 

 C. Miiller, of Freiburg, in fact, says in a recent paper that it is 

 dioicous.^ The delicate striations in the cuticle of the leaves are some- 

 times either transitory or poorly developed ; it is usually possible to 

 find them, however, even where they are otherwise indistinct, in the 

 somewhat elongated cells near the base of a leaf. 



The fourth Alaskan species of this genus, Nardia compressa 

 (Hook.) S. F. Gray, from Atka Island (J. M. Macoun), was collected 

 many years ago in Greenland, but has not since been recorded from 

 America. It is our largest species, and, when well developed, grows 

 in compact tufts, the individual stems being erect or neai'ly so. The 

 leaves are broadly orbicular or reniform, closely imbricated and ap- 

 pressed to the stem. The underleaves ai^e small and fugacious and 

 the rhizoids are very scanty. In many cases the plants give off 

 flagella, which are particularly well seen on young and prostrate 

 stems. On such plants also the leaves are less appressed than on 

 older specimens. 



14. Jungermannia sphaerocarpa Hook. 



Hooniah Village (C. & K. 664) ; Disenchantment Bay (B. t*c C. 

 637^!, in part); Port Clarence (T. 1514, 2116, Fernow 1515, in great 

 part). New to Alaska. 



ijensen, Medcl. oin Gr';iuland, 15: 381. 1898. 

 ^Gottscbe. Ann. des Sc. Nat. V. i : 119. 1864. 

 ^Mitteil. des Bad. bot. Vereius. 1899 : S (reprint). 



