434 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
to observe that too large a part of it does not show anything except that the 
writers were ignorant of the literature. Even their interest is shown to be 
fraudulent. They expect us to take an interest in their writings, when they 
do not care enough for the subject to read what has been written by others. 
CHARLES ROBERTSON. 
Propagation of mosses. 
Dr. CARL CORRENS has been at work for five years upon the vegetative 
reproduction of the true mosses, In that time he has published several pre- 
liminary papers on his researches,’ and an important collateral paper ‘‘ Ueber 
Scheitelwachsthum, Blattstellung, und Astanlagen des Laubmoosstammchen ” 
in the Festschrift fiir Schwendener (1899). These investigations are now 
brought together zz extenso to form a bulky volume of almost 500 pages. 
e gametophyte of mosses propagates itself by many methods and by 
brood-bodies which arise from protonema, or rhizoid, or stem, or leaf. The 
sporophyte produces normally no propagative organs except the spores. The 
homology of the brood-bodies of Georgia (with which the researches of Correns 
began in 1894), @Edipodium, Drepanophyllum, anda few others (all of possible 
paraphysine nature) remain undetermined. The term brood-organsis restricted 
to those structures of which propagation is the chief or the codrdinate function. 
The term cuttings is applied to those parts artificially separated by which prop- 
agation is possible. The brood-organs of one hundred and twenty-five 
species are monographically described. Forty species which can be repro- 
duced from cuttings are also elaborately treated. 
The terms applied to the brood-bodies have such resemblance in form and 
sound in German that they must prove objectionable, particularly in speaking. 
Bruchstémmcehen or Bruchdste are stems or branches which are brittle through- 
out and may break off anywhere, or even break up into pieces, each capable 
of growth. Arutdste are brittle at base only where a separation layer is formed. 
Bruchknospen are branches brittle only beneath the apex, while Brutknospen 
are short Brutdste. In such a case perhaps it is unimportant whether one 
perceives the distinction between Bruch and Brut/ In the same way we 
have Bruchblitter and Brutblatter. Bulbillen are defined as Bruthnospen 
with reduced leaves, but the organs described as bulbils in Leptobryum 
pyriforme bear not the ae trace of leaf rudiments; indeed they are else- 
where called “ root tubercles 
In the general part (pp. 325-460) Dr. Correns discusses the morphology 
and phylogeny of the brood-bodies arising on stem, leaves, and protonema. 
*Berichte d. deutsch. bot. Gesells. 13: 420. 1895; 14:94. 1896; 15:373- 18975 
16: 22. ded 
3CORRENS, CARL: Untersuchungen iiber die Vermehrung der Laubmoose durch 
Sieeloeyies et Stecklinge. 8vo. pp. xxiv-+472. figs. 185. Jena: Gustav Fischer. 
1899. M 15. 
