670 RECORD OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



The line of coalescence of tlie inner margins of the leaf-segments 

 coincides with the central axis of the mature fruit. The four crossed 

 rows of cells which are visible on transverse section, and the signifi- 

 cation of which has hitherto been obscui-e, are, according to this view, 

 simply indications of the coalescence of the adjacent leaves. By the 

 thickening of the walls of the superficial cells of the fructification, 

 which finally becomes nearly globular, the soral cavities having 

 closed up, the lines of contact of the leaf-segments become at length 

 completely obliterated. 



Muscinese. 



British Moss-Flora. — Dr. E. Braithwaite, of well-known bryo- 

 logical reputation, has commenced the publication of monographs of 

 the families of British mosses, each complete in itself and illustrated 

 by plates of all the species, with microscopical details of their 

 structure. Part I. includes the Andreaeacese, and Part II. the 

 Buxbaumiacese and Georgiacese, each with two plates, drawn by the 

 author. 



The cell-structure of the leaves, so important in the distinction of 

 genera and species, receives due attention both in the figures and 

 descriptions. The records of localities for all but the common species 

 are intended to be numerous, and the bibliography ampler than any 

 that has hitherto appeared in a British work. 



The arrangement of the families and genera is principally in 

 accordance with that suggested by Professor Lindberg,* the most 

 natural that has yet appeared. In this the Cleistocarpous mosses are 

 regarded as imperfectly developed forms of various Stegocarpous 

 families, with which they agree in everything but a separable operculum, 

 and the genera are framed on a broader and more rational basis, just 

 as our best botanists now deal with Phasnogamous plants. Professor 

 Lindberg's terms for the position of the reproductive organs are also 

 adopted. 



Bryologists well know how much a work of this kind is re- 

 quired, Wilson's ' Bryologia Britannica' being unobtainable except at 

 a largely enhanced price, and being now altogether insufficient as a 

 guide to our recently much-extended Moss-Flora. 



Characese. 



British Characeae'.f — Messrs. H. and J. Groves have compiled a 

 much-needed monograph of the British species of Characese, accom- 

 panied by four good plates. The total number of species (besides 

 two doubtful ones) is nineteen, all previously described. The order 

 is first divided, as is usually done, into the two sections Chareaj and 

 Nitelleae (called by Groves Charse and Nitellse — objectionable terms, 

 as being simply the plurals of the generic name), each including 

 two genera, Chara and Lychnothamnus, Tolypella and Nitella. Of 

 Chara nine British species are described, divided into three series, 



* ' Utcast till en naturlig Gruppering af Eiuropas Bladmossor med toppsittande 

 Frukt,' 1878. 



t ' Trimcu's Journ. Bot.,' ix. (1880) p. 97. 



