﻿North American Eurhynchia 



237 



There is no perceptible difference in this respect. 



Acumination of stem leaf one-tenth length Acumination of stem leaf one-sixth length 



of leaf. 



of leaf. 



There is a very great range of variation in this respect even on 

 the same plant, but I was unable to discover any constant difference 

 between the two. 



All leaves similar in form. Lower leaves lanceolate to ovate, 0.2-0.3 



mm. wide, suddenly narrowed to a nar 

 row reflexed acumination one- third the 

 length of leaf. 



Leaves of stoloniferous stem of both are much reduced in size 

 and in very many cases long-acuminate in the European plant re- 

 ferred to E. praelongum. 



To sum up : There is a very great range of variation in the 

 characters enumerated above, especially in the width of the branch 



The 



leaves and the length and slenderness of their acumination. 

 apex of the branch leaves of the European plant is slenderly 

 acuminate in a larger proportion of cases than in the American, 

 and the seta of the European plant averages longer. 



E. hians is generally credited to Europe but the distinctions 

 given will not hold as we have seen. If two species are to be 

 made out of the European plants referred to E. hians and E. prae- 

 longum Hedw., the distinction will have to be based on different 

 characters, one of which will, it seems to me, be the shape of the 

 branch leaves. Our American plant differs considerably in this 

 respect. Specimens from the Southern States have, as a rule, more 

 slenderly pointed branch leaves, but there are all grades of inter- 

 mediate forms and the difference is too slight to be of specific 

 rank. 



All the variations of the American plant can be duplicated in 

 the European plant referred to E. praelongum, but the European 

 plant varies further in the direction of narrow slenderly acuminate 

 branch leaves with fewer differentiated apical cells. 



Lindberg 



Hypnum distans from H. 



H. 



t> 



does not accurately represent the American plant as I understand 

 it after having examined hundreds of specimens. In Sullivant's 

 figur the leaves are much more slenderly acuminate and the apical 



