THE BR YOLOGIST 
VoL. XII [ July 1910 No. 4 
NOTES ON LOPHOZIA ALPESTRIS (SCHLEICH.) EVANS 
Annie Lorenz 
In The Bryologist for March, 1910, the writer discusses “Some 
Lophozias of the Ventricosa-group ” and one of these species, Lophozia 
co 7 ifertifolia Schiffner approaches Lophozia alpestris (Schleich. ) Evans, 
the subject of the present notes. The former, however, is of a more delicate 
texture, has larger leaf-cells with more delicate walls, and the American 
specimens so far collected have been sterile. Also it is a bluer-green in color ; 
and the shallow sinus with unequal, frequently obtuse leaf-tips is very simi- 
lar in the two species, except that it is more uniform in Lophozia conferti- 
folia. 
Lophozia alpestris, especially fn some of its larger forms, might be 
confused with Lophozia ve^itricosa (Dicks.) Dum. but it has two individual 
characters. According to Dr. Evans, the smaller leaf-cells, i8/< instead of 
23/;, and Gottsche points out the diversity of the sinus of the leaves on the 
same stem. It is a species of subalpine and alpine regions, taking the place 
of Lophozia ventricosa in the higher altitudes. Bernet says “ it is common 
on bare siliceous ground on all the range of Mt. Blanc, replacing the Lopho- 
zia Muelleri (^eesi) Dum. of the calcareous Jura and Bernese Oberland. It 
is polymorphous, as the great number of synonyms attests.” 
In New England it has been reported from Maine, New Hampshire, and 
Vermont, being fairly common in the White Mountains, although not 
ubiquitous, like Lophozia attenuata (Mart.) Dum. Macoun^ gives various 
Greenland and Canadian stations. Dr. Evans, in Collins’ report of the 
Katahdin mosses, Rhodora III, p. 181, 1901, first puts it into Lophozia. 
Kaalaas^ says “well distributed over all the mountainous parts of 
Norway — always on a siliceous substratum — varies most markedly in habit, 
color, size and leaf-form, especially specimens from lower-lying stations 
seem to approach Lophozia ventricosa. Fertile specimens are on the whole 
collected seldom; yet seem in certain mountain sections to be somewhat 
common, but the majority of tufts are of male plants only.” 
The conditions are similar at Waterville, N. H. It grows on damp 
ground, either in pure stands or mixed with other mosses, while typical 
1 Macoun, Cat Can. Plants VIT. p. 17 (190?). 
2. Kaalaas. De Distr. Hep. in Norv. p. 335. 1893. 
The iMay Bryologist was issued May 2, 1910. 
