THE POLYTRICHACE/E OF WESTERN NORTH AMERICA 317 



COMPARISON OF VARIETIES WITH TYPE. 



5. P. commune, typical. 



I. Lamellae 4-6 cells high. 



2. Leaves appressed when dry. 

 3. Inner pericha?tial Icav'es not exceeding the foliage leaves. 

 4. Width of capsule to length about as i :ii-i^. 

 5. Beak of lid slightly curved. 

 6. Pores of papillae of capsule wall from elliptical to sht-like. 



5a. P, commune var. uliginosum Hueb., in IMuscol. Germ. p. 535 



(1833)- 

 I. Lamellae 4-6 cells high. 



2. Leaves sp reading-recurved when dry. 

 3. Inner perichastial leaves not exceeding the foliage leaves. 

 4. Width of ca))sule to length about as i :i l—if . 

 5. Beak of lid slightly curved. 

 6. Pores of papillae of capsule wall from almost rounded to 

 slit-like. 



On soil. — White Mountains, New Hampshire; Washington. 



5b. P. commune var. perigoniale-^ (Michx.) B. & S., in Bryol. 

 Eur. fasc. 2i-24; iv, i844. 



I. Lamellae 6-9 cells high. 



2. Leaves appressed when dry. 

 3. Inner perichaetial leaves very long, exceeding the foliage leaves. 

 4. Width of capsule to length about as i :ii-i^. 

 5. Beak of lid straight. 

 6. Pores of papillae of capsule from rounded to slit-like. 



On soil. — McLeod Lake, British Columbia; Pass Creek, near 

 Sproat, British Columbia; Ontario; Europe; Australia. 



5c. P. commune var. minus-^ Weis, in PI. Crypt. Goett. p. 171 



(1770). 

 P. commune var. canadense-'' Kindb., in Mac. Cat. p. 156 (1892). 



I. Leaves 6-9 cells high. 



2. Leaves appressed when dry. 

 3. Inner perichaetial leaves not exceeding the foliage leaves. 

 4. Width of capsule to length about as i :i-ii. 

 5. Beak of lid sHghtly curved. 



6. Pores of papillae of capsule wall from elliptical to slit-like. 



^ Peri = around, gone = female plant organ; referring to the perichaetial leaves 

 which are very long in this species. 



^ Minus = small. This is one of the smaller varieties of the species. 



^^ The var. minus does not seem to differ from the var. canadense by any well 

 defined characteristics. 



