Vol. XIX November, 1916 No. 6 



DREPANOLEJEUNEA, A GENUS NEW TO NORTH AMERICAN 



HEPATICAE 



Caroline Coventry Haynes 



Drepanolejeunea bidens, that we welcome to our Flora, has hitherto been 

 known only in tropical America; western Europe possessing a similar case in the 

 closely-related Drepanolejeunea hamatifoUa (Hook.) Schiffn. 



Mr. Albert Ruth made collections of Hepaticae in Tennessee which were 

 determined by the late Professor L. M. Underwood. There were some "left- 

 overs" that he evidently reserved for future study and among these the pocket 

 "^6 Mts. of E. Tenn. Ruth" containing in mixture a large Lejeunea called by 

 him L. clypeata and " + Lg;. (interesting)" as he designated the unknown. Within 

 the pocket a smaller one contained the latter species and was marked "6^". The 

 writer, while studying this little collection of "left-overs": the list of which will 

 be given below, was at once attracted by this lovely minute species. Though 

 unfortunately sterile, the strikingly characteristic underleaves and ventral lobes 

 enabled her, after some study, to place it in this genus and Dr. Evans, when sent 

 a specimen, added the specific name. These tiny underleaves stretch their 

 slender widely-spreading divisions beyond the stem and when it is realized that 

 these divisions are composed of not more than four cells placed in a single row, 

 the size of the plant can be appreciated. 



Dr. Evans has beautifully described this Genus and the closely-allied Lepto- 

 lejeunea in his series on Hepaticae of Puerto Rico, Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical 

 Club 29: 496. 1902, and 30: 29-30. 1903, and our species, L. bidens (Steph.) 

 Evans, is described and figured in detail. Students will thoroughly enjoy study- 

 ing these critical notes. 



In the tropics this genus prefers to grow on the leaves of trees and occasionally 

 on bark as was the case here in eastern Tennessee. 



The writer will give the entire specific description and quote from the above 

 two papers with the permission of the author: 



" Drepanolejeunea bidens (Steph.) Evans 



Lejeunea (Drepano-Lejeunea) bidens Steph. Hedwigia, 29: 71. 1890. 

 "Yellowish-green, growing in thin and loose patches: stems 0.035 rn^n- '^^ 

 diameter, prostrate, irregularly pinnate, the branches widely spreading; leaves 

 distant to subimbricated, the lobe suberect or obliquely spreading in the lower 

 part, widely spreading above, convex, falcate-lanceolate, 0.35 mm. long, 0.08 



The September number of The Bryologist was published October 4, 1916. 



