THE POLYTRICHACEZ OF WESTERN NORTH AMERICA iy 
COMPARISON OF VARIETIES WITH TYPE. 
5. P. commune, typical. 
1. Lamelle 4--6 cells high. 
2. Leaves appressed when dry. 
3. Inner perichetial leaves not exceeding the foliage leaves. 
4. Width of capsule to length about as 1:14-14. 
5. Beak of lid slightly curved. 
6. Pores of papille of capsule wall from elliptical to slit-like. 
5a. P. commune var. uliginosum Hueb., in Muscol. Germ. p. 535 
(1833). 
1. Lamelle 4-6 cells high. 
2. Leaves spreading-recurved when dry. 
3. Inner perichetial leaves not exceeding the foliage leaves. 
4. Width of capsule to length about as 1:14-12. 
5. Beak of lid slightly curved. 
6. Pores of papillae of capsule wall from almost rounded to 
slit-like. 
On soil.—White Mountains, New Hampshire; Washington. 
5b. P. commune var. perigoniale® (Michx.) B. & S., in Bryol. 
Bur. fasc. 21-24, iv, 1844. 
1. Lamellee 6-9 cells high. 
2. Leaves appressed when dry. 
3. Inner perichetial leaves very long, exceeding the foliage leaves. 
4. Width of capsule to length about as 1:14-14. 
5. Beak of lid straight. 
6. Pores of papille of capsule from rounded to slit-like. 
On soil—McLeod Lake, British Columbia; Pass Creek, near 
Sproat, British Columbia; Ontario; Europe; Australia. 
5c. P. commune var. minus** Weis, in Pl. Crypt. Goett. p.171 
(1770). 
P. commune var. canadense®” Kindb., in Mac. Cat. p. 156 (1892). 
1. Leaves 6-9 cells high. 
2. Leaves appressed when dry. 
3. Inner perichetial leaves not exceeding the foliage leaves. 
4. Width of capsule to length about as 1:1-14. 
5. Beak of lid slightly curved. 
6. Pores of papille of capsule wall from elliptical to slit-like. 
Peri = around, gone = female plant organ; referring to the perichetial leaves 
which are very long in this species. 
76 Minus = small. Thisis one of the smaller varieties of the species. 
“7-The var. minus does not seem to differ from the var. canadense by any well 
defined characteristics. 
