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THE GENUS CLASTOBRYUM DOZ. AND MOLK. IN AMERICA 



R. S. Williams 



This genus, of some 5 or 6 known species, was described in 1854, being 

 based in C. Indicum from Borneo. At present one species is known from Borneo 

 and Java, 3 or 4 from India and one from America, where it was first recognized 

 by M. Cardot among Pringle's Mexican mosses (Clastobryum Americanum 

 Card., Pringle {No. 15,640) Honey Station, Mex., Revue Bryologique, 37: 5. 

 1910). Some undetermined sterile specimens among my BoHvian mosses, col- 

 lected in 1902 {No. 2,128) that I was unable to refer to any known American 

 genus, evidently are the same as the Mexican Clastobryum; also specimens col- 

 lected by Mrs. Britton in the Blue mountains of Jamaica {No. 1,144), from near 

 the summit of Sir John Peak, 1908, I believe should be referred to this species, 

 although M. Cardot, in litt., rather seems to ,think differently. The American 

 specimens are evidently quite distinct from those of the Old World, but among 

 themselves, although from rather widely separated localities, they differ scarce- 

 ly at all, unless perhaps in the width of kaf and length of leaf point, both vari- 

 able characters, even in the same plant. In all three collections, the leaves, 

 about 1.5 mm, long, are ovate-lanceolate to very narrowly lanceolate, smooth on 

 both sides, rather distant on the stems, not decurrent. serrulate at apex and 

 more or less recurved on borders below; the median cells are about 4ai wide by up 

 to 40/i or more long, the basal cells brownish, the alar forming distinct brown 

 clusters. Propagulse occur in conspicuous, dense, brown clusters mostly at 

 the apex of the older stems, less often in the axils of the upper leaves; they are 

 about 0.6 mm. long, slender, with numerous cross-walls and greatest diameter 

 (about 40m) about ^ up from base, from which point they taper more or less in 

 both directions. 



New York Botanical Garden. 



NOTE ON MOSSES GROWING UNATTACHED 



H. N. Dixon, M. A., F. L. L. S. 



The following notes may be interesting as supplementing Mr. Burrell's 

 article on Leucobryum glaucum (Bryologist, 10: 108). I have recently received 

 specimens of L. glaucum similar to those described, from Fawley, near Southamp- 

 ton, from Rev. W. L. W. Eyre; Fawley is in the New Forest area, and the " balls, " 

 which are lenticular in form and exceedingly compact and regular in structure, 

 are locally known as "Fawley buns." This local name is an interesting evi- 

 dence of their frequent and striking occurrence. 



Mr. Burrell suggests the scratching of game birds such as pheasants as 

 the probable primary cause of disturbance which leads to the detachment of 

 the tufts. This suggestion is supported in a rather interesting way from an- 

 other quarter. I have recently received from Rev. C. H. Binstead specimens of 

 the New Zealand moss, Echinodium hispidum (H. f. and W.) Jaeg., collected by 

 -Mr. T. W. Naylor Beckett, one of them annotated by Mr. Beckett thus: " Damp 



