14 



ON" CALIFORNIAN MOSSES. 



Lag., and easily distinguished from any other species. On the hark of oak trees, common 

 in California. 



77. IlYrNUM (Amblysteoium) serpens L. 



In a swamp at the foot of the Oakland Redwood Hills. March. 



78. IIypnum subimponens Spec new. Ibjpno imponente primo intuitu similimum differt : Foliis cau- 

 linis inte"-ris vel raro summo acumine subserrulatis ; cellulis alaribus vol iiullis vcl perpaucia minoribus; arcola- 

 tione densiori ; foliis pcrielicetialibus brcvi-acuminatis croctis apprcssis intogris ; capsula graciliori cernua ; operculo 

 conico-obtuso ; peristomii interni oiliis singulis vcl binis longis graoilimis; annulo couiposito lato rcvolubili; vagi- 

 nula nuda. 



Shaded rocks in a creek, Marin County. 



79. IIvpnuji riparium *S Y . 



In a willow swamp, Marin County, &c. 



Though we do not know probably one-half of the species of mosses inhabiting California, 

 the materials on hand arc already sufficient to permit us an inquiring look into the general 

 character and the geographical distribution of the Bryologia of that country. 



Mr. W. S. Sullivant's examination of the mosses collected in California by Dr. Bigelow, 

 has enumerated sixty-four species, thirty of which have not yet been found by Mr. Bo- 

 lander. Menzies, Hooker, Hampe, Muller, and other authors have mentioned eighteen 

 species from the west coast of North America, twelve of which are also not in Mr. I Jo- 

 lander's collection. This gives us an amount of one hundred and twenty-one species of 

 mosses now known in California. Of these, forty-two appear peculiar to Western North 

 America, some of them ascending higher north in Oregon, but their northern range is 

 still undetermined. Forty-two species are common to California, Eastern North America, 

 and Europe ; thirty-four are found in California and Europe, but not in Eastern North 

 America, and none are common to California and Eastern North America solely. Three 

 species have a range going somewhat out of this division, Orthotrichvm Texanum and 

 Ifi/pnum Nultallii appear to be species of a warmer climate; the first being found in 

 Mexico, the second in Western Texas. Trichostomum corniculatum Schw. goes as high 

 north as Kamtschatka. 



The species common to California, Europe, and Eastern North America, are mostly 

 wandering or universal species, found nearly over the whole world in a temperate zone : 

 some ■Phascacece, Gymnostomum curvirostmm, Weisia viridula, Dicranum virem, Ceralodon 

 purpureus, Tetr aphis pellucida, Iledwigia ciliata, Sec, &c. On the contrary, those common 

 only to California and Europe, and wanting in Eastern North America, are typical forms : 

 species of Trichostomum, Barbula, Desmatodon, Anacalypta, Zygodon, Braunia, Bryum, 

 Hypnum, especially of the section Sdleropodium and Camptothecium. This at once already 



