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Now this is true of the eapsules of mosses. In fact the fecundation of the 
archegonium and the development of the peristome are entirely dependent 
on moisture, and if a long dry season occurs before either is accomplished, 
sterility or abortion takes place. 
Now to return to Ceratodon pu7'pii.7'eus. Those of us who have watched, 
as I have in the New York Botanical Gardens, know that a long dry summer 
and fall, such as we have had this year, with snow or rain coming after the 
nights are cold, will make a difference in the fruiting of this species. None 
of the lovely wine-red pedicels which give this species its specific name of 
purpureus have thrust up in the hollows of the rocks this year, and in Feb- 
ruary and March when growth begins again the antheridia and archegonia 
will probably be too old and dry to do their work. 
Two adjectives occur frequently in the vocabulary of a professional 
bryologist, they are and worn." Noone who has not tried to write a 
satisfactory description from dried plants and gone over all the material 
available both from America and Europe realizes the difficulty of finding 
specimens in good condition. In some genera such as Orthotrichnm, for 
instance, it is imperative that peristotne be in just the right state in order 
to see the cilia. If it is too old they are gone. In other genera like Gritnmia, 
it is the calyptra or the an?iulus, and we all know that these frequently fall 
with the lid. 
So when A Plea for More and Better Local IVorle" reaches those 
whose time and place allow it, I want them to realize that even the common- 
est species are full of interest and problems unsolved, and that the dreary 
round of study from dry materials may be greatly helped by a refreshing 
series of observations from living plants. 
New York Botanical Gardens. 
AflBLYSTEQIUM HOLZINQERl— A CORRECTION. 
A. J. Grout. 
In the November, 1909, Bryorogist I published Amblystegiuni Holzin- 
geri as a new species Prof. Holzinger called my attention to the fact that 
this combination had already been used by Renauldand Cardot ier Hypnuni 
Closteri Austin of which it of course becomes a synonym, as Austin’s name 
has the priority by many }"ears. 
This renders it necessar}:' to rename the moss described by me under the 
name of Amblystegium Holzingeri. For it I propose the name Amblys- 
tegium Americanum, nom. nov. 
