18- 
Dr. Krout’s specimens show the ^'hyalme preperistome,'’’ deeply inserted, 
fragile, papillose teeth and blunt leaves. They were compared with the 
description of S. delicatulum Broth, and proved to be exactly like the English 
specimens in the leaves and inflorescence and the blunt stumps of the 
preperistome are also present, but Mr. Dixon thinks that the walls of the 
capsules, have larger cells and the spores also are larger in our specimens. 
The fragile and peculiar peristome differs from the figures and description 
given by Brotherus'^ for S. Wrightii C. M. in the presence of the basal 
hyaline cells, of which Dixon states: “ Even now I am quite unable to say 
whether the structure in question is peculiar to the plant under consideration, 
or whether it may be shared by some other species of the genus.” Since 
this description was published Prof. Max Fleischer has called Mr. Dixon’s 
attention to the fact that this binding membrane" P as he called it, is 
present in S. Geheebii^ which he figured and distributed from the East 
Indies. (Plate XI Figs, g and h.) 
Brotherus also has changed his mind about the generic position of 
Splachnobryum and has transferred it from the Poitiacece where he placed it 
ill 1902, back to the SpiachnacecE ® where Dixon and others agree is its family 
relationship. 
It will be of interest to add that the hyaline preperistome has been found to 
exist in F. M. (Plate XI Fig. X.) from Cuba and Jamaica, in S.Mariei 
Besch from Guadeloupe, in 5 . IVu/ise/i/ageiii C. M. from Surinam and in 
S.Bernonllii C. M. from Guatemala. I have also found traces of it in S. 
fiaccidum (Harv.) C. M. from Asia, and in S. Boivini C. M. from Madagascar. 
It is difficult to determine its presence positively without section-cutting as 
the hyaline cells are very hygroscopic and as soon as the capsule is 
moistened the whole peristome bends inward and downward, disappearing 
completely out of sight. Since this genus had been found, in greenhouses 
both here and in Philadelphia it may be of interest to describe Dr. Krout’s 
specimens, which are better than ours and do not seem to differ specifically 
Splach 7 iobryiim delicatulum Broth. 
Plants gregarious in bright green cushions; stem erect or slightly 
decumbent at base, seldom more than 5 10 mm. high with a few red basal 
radicles occasionally branching into green, filamentous protonema; leaves 
soft, flacid, erect and spreading, 1-2 mm. long, elliptic or spathulate, obtuse, 
costate to below the apex, margins entire or serrulate, plane or reflexed with 
one row of smaller, quadrate or inflated cells around the apex; basal cells 
oblong or rhomboidal, upper irregularly hexagonal, walls thin. Dioicous, the 
antheridial plants more slender with several terminal clusters becoming 
subaxillary; archegonia few, terminal or lateral without paraphyses. Seta 
erect, terminal or rarely lateral 3-4 mm. long, red below, yellow and twisted 
above; capsule seldom more than 1-1.5 mm. long, erect, cylindric; lid small, 
3. Broth, in E. & P. Pflanzenfam. fasc. 214: 420 figf. 275. D. 1902. 
4. Fleischer-Musci Flor. Buit. 2: 473 fig. 87. 1902-1904. 
5. Fleischer-Musci Arch. Ind. no. 136. 1900. 
6. Broth. E. & P. Pflanzenfam. fasc. 234-235: 1203. 1909. 
