I.[S THE FLORA OF HALIFAX. 



translation by Mr. C. E. Horrell, F.L.S., appeared in the 

 Journal of Botany for 1900. Dr. Warnstorf's investigation 

 into the comparative morphology of this very distinct group of 

 plants has extended over a period of 30 years. His long con- 

 tinued researches have led him to formulate a new system of 

 classification based largely on the structure, form, and relative 

 position of the two kinds of cells, of which the leaves of both 

 stem and branch principally consist. This new system may 

 be said to be more natural than the old, in that it goes deeper 

 into the structural characters by which nature has separated 

 one " species " from another. There is so much to recommend 

 it that it has already been generally adopted by both Contin- 

 ental and American bryologists. If it has a drawback at all, 

 it is in the multiplication of what we understand as " species." 

 Still, if these can be proved to be distinct from each other, and 

 fairly constant in their structure, it is a move in the right 

 direction. 



Authors' names and synonyms having been more fully 

 published in Braithwaite's than in any other British Moss 

 Flora, they are given as found there. In cases where the 

 names of the authorities are cited, the one in brackets is the 

 original author of the species, while the other is responsible for 

 the name of the genus. Where one author only is given, 

 unbracketed, he is understood to be sponsor for both generic 

 and specific names. Though this system often entails the 

 citing of two authors, it ensures that the name of the original 

 is not lost sight of. For example : — 



Bvyum truncatulum Linneus 

 = Gymnostomum truncatulum (Lin.) Hedwig 

 = Pottia truncatula (Lin.) Turner. 



Synonymy has been carried no further than was necessary to 

 enable anyone to compare the list with those of the floras 

 quoted. 



Common names have been very sparingly bestowed upon 

 mosses. None but a few of the larger, commoner and more 

 easily recognised species bear them, viz : Bog-moss, Pack- 

 moss (Sphagnum), Feather-moss (Hypnum), and one or two 

 others. The majority are too small and inconspicuous to come 

 under general observation as distinct things, hence are com- 

 monly included under the one term, "moss." This is not 

 sufficient for scientific purposes. Each must have a generic 

 and specific appelative. Fortunately, in most cases the latter 



