286 CARDOT AND THERIOT [326] 



The moss which was described by Mr. Kindberg under the name of 

 B. lescurii, from sterile specimens collected in Japan, does not seem 

 to be the true Atrichum lescurii James, because its leaves are only 

 incurvate and not crispate when dry. On the contrary, it is prob- 

 able that B. sitkana of Kindberg, equally described from sterile 

 specimens, differs in nothing from the species of James. The latter 

 was, after all, imperfectly known until now, the author having seen 

 neither the calyptra nor the lid, and having been unable to ascertain 

 the existence or absence of a peristome. Therefore, we here give a 

 complete description with drawings of this interesting moss, which, by 

 the absence of the peristome and chiefly by the structure of its leaves, 

 which, except on the borders, consist of two layers of cells, seems to 

 us to constitute a genus distinct from Atrichum? 



Dioicum, laxe cespitosum, atroviride. Caulis gracillimus, filiformis, 

 flexuosus, simplex furcatusve, laxe foliosus, inferne longissime denu- 

 datus, 2-8 cent, altus. Folia sicca crispatissima, madida arcuato- 

 patula, 4 millim. longa, basi subvaginantia, lineari-lanceolata, acu- 

 minata, marginibus basis inferne integris, superne utroque latere 3-5 

 ciliis longis ornatis, marginibus laminae planis valde serratis, haud 

 limbatis, costa lata, dorso levi, ventro lamellosa, lamellis 5-8, mar- 

 gine dentatis, in sectione transversali e 68 seriebus cellularum formatis ; 

 cellulis basilaribus areolationis rectangulis, hyalinis, 4-6 long, quam 

 lat., rete laminae opaco, cellulis minutis hexagonis (diam. 8//), bistra- 

 tosis, tantum ad margines unistratosis ibique limbum translucentem 

 fingentibus. Capsula in pedicello rubello brevi, 812 millim. longo, 

 erecta, primum breviter ovato-cylindrica, aetate turbinata, gymno- 

 stoma, ore valde dilatato, epiphragmate columellae adhaerente clauso, 

 operculo alte conico, longe acuminato, capsulam fere aequante. 

 Calyptra nuda, glabra, breviter acuminata, operculum tantum obtegens. 

 Sporaeovatae vel subtrigonas, diam. 12-16^1. 



Atrichum parallelum Mitt, in Journ. Linn. Soc., vm, p. 48, pi. 8. 

 A. leiophyllum KINDB. in Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, xvn, p. 275. 



From Douglas Island (Trelease, 1728, 2415) ; Port Etches (J. M. 

 Macoun) . 



A. leiophyllum Kindb. cannot be specifically distinguished from 

 A. parallelum Mitt., the characters put forward by Mr. Kindberg to 

 justify the creation of his species being liable to vary on the same 

 specimen. Such is more particularly the case with number 217 of 

 the Canadian Musci, the leaves of which are sometimes destitute of 

 dentate crests on the back and sometimes possess them well-developed. 

 1 See Note 2, p. 347. 



