zooLoay and botany, microscopy, etc. 123 



Classification of Sphagnacese.* — Pursuing his researches on the classi- 

 fication of Sphagnaceae, Dr. Roll adopts Schliephacke's arrangement of the 

 species under 7 heads, viz. I. Acutifolia, 2. Cuspidata, 3. Squarrosa, 

 4. Eigida, 5. Mollusca, 6. Subsecunda, 7. Cymbifolia. The species are 

 then arranged as follows : — (1) Schimperi W., Schliephackeanum W., 

 acutifolium Ehrh., Wilsoni n. sp., plumulosum n. sp., fuscum Kl., Warnstorfii 

 n. sp., rohustum Euss., Girgensohnii Euss., fimhriatum Wils., Wulfii Girg. 

 (2) Lindbergii Sch., riparium Angs., Limprichtii n, sp., recurvum Pal., inter- 

 medium Hoffm., cuspidatum Ehrh., laxifolium Mlill. (3) teres Angs., squar- 

 rosum Pers. (4) rigidum Sch., molle Sull., Angstromii Hart. (5) tenellum 

 Ehrh. (6) laricinum Spr., suhsecundum Nees, contortum Schltz., turgidum 

 MiilL, platypJiyllum Sull. (7) medium Limp., glaucum Kling., cymbifolium 

 Hedw., subbicolor Hpe., papillosum Lind., Austini Sull. Under each species 

 the varieties and subvarieties are minutely described, and a table given of 

 the probable genetic relationship of the various forms. 



European Sphagnacese.f — M. J. Cardot classifies the Sphagnaceas of 

 Europe under thirteen species, recognizing as a species any group of forms 

 distinguished by morphological characters of sufficient importance which 

 are constant, and which do not pass by insensible gradations into those of 

 another group. Where a group is marked by characters not of such 

 absolute constancy, and which do in some cases pass into those of another 

 group, he regards such a group as a sub-species. The characters chiefly 

 relied on are those of the cauline leaves, the epidermis of the stem, a trans- 

 verse section of the branch-leaves, and those of the lageniform cells; 

 discarding altogether, as of no specific value, characters derived from the 

 presence or absence of fibres in the cauline leaves, from the capsule and 

 perichsetial leaves, or from the inflorescence. 



On these principles the European Sphagnacese are grouped as follows : — 

 Group I. Sphagna cymbifolia. 1. S. cymbifolium Hedw. (subsp. medium 

 Limpr., papillosum Lindb., Austini Sulliv.). Group II. Sphagna teuncata. 

 2. S. Angstroemii Hartm. 3. ;S^. rigidum Sch. 4. S. molle Sulliv. Group 

 III, Sphagna subsecunda. 5. S. tenellum Ehrh. 6. S. suhsecundum N. v. 

 Ees. (subsp. laricinum Spr.) 7. S. Pylaiei Brid. IV. S. acutifolia. 

 8. S. teres Angstr. (subsp. squarrosum Pers.). 9. S. fimbriatum Wils. 

 10. S. acutifolium Ehrh. (subsp. Girgensohnii Euss.). 11. S. Wulfianum 

 Girg. V. S. undulata. 12. S. Lindbergii Sch. 13. S. recurvum P. B. 

 (subsp. cuspidatum Ehrh.). 



New Hepatic8e.| — Herr V. Schiffner describes three new species of 

 Hepaticse from Hanke's collection, viz. Lejeunia repanda and L. perforata 

 from Mauritius, and Phragmicoma HsenJceana from Mexico ; also a monoe- 

 cious species of Biella, B. Battandieri, from Algeria. He considers Biella 

 as departing from all other genera of Hepaticse in. the absence of a bilateral 

 structure. Archegonia and leaflets occur not unfrequently, not only on 

 both faces of the wings, but even on the side of a rib opposite to a wing. 



Algae. 



Alga parasitic on animals. § — Dr. A. Peter describes a new species of 

 alga which he finds forming flat discs about 12 mm. in diameter on the cara- 

 pace and other parts of Emys europsea. The systematic position of the alga, 



* Flora, Isix. (1886) pp. 33-47, 73-80, 89-94, 105-11, 129-37, 179-87, 227-42, 328-37, 

 353-70, 419-27, 467-76 (1 pi.)- Cf. this Journal, 1886, p. 108. 



t Bull. Soc. E. Bot. Belg., xxv. (1886) pp. 19-136 (2 pis.). 



t Bot. Centralbl., xxvii. (1886) pp. 207-11, 239-43 (1 pL). 



§ SB. Versamiiil. Deutsch. Naturf. u. Aerzte, Sept. 22, 1886. See Bot. Cuntralbl., 

 x.wiii, (1886) p. 125. 



