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A PECULIAR HYLOCOMIUM. 
Edward B. Chamberlain, 
Some three years ago a specimen of a most peculiar Hylocomium was 
received from the Rev. H. Dupret of Montreal, accompanied by a note stat- 
ing that the plants were apparently some form of Hylocojnhwi Pyrenaicu 7 ?i 
Spruce, but that the structure of the leaves was unlike anything described 
for this species. The plants were collected by Mr, Jos. Bedard at Nominique, 
Quebec, in August, 1907, scattered through tufts of Dicrana 
The plants are evidently depauperate, having slender stems with few 
branches, which are often much attenuated at the tip. In the red stems 
densely covered with large branched paraphyllia and the basal areolation of 
the glossy leaves, the plant agrees well with Hylocomium Pyre^iaictmi. 
The leaves themselves are oblong ovate, smooth, somewhat plicate and 
revolute below, with only faint traces of a nerve in most cases. The margin 
becomes more and more strongly dentate toward the upper part, where, 
instead of the usual acumination, a fringe of laciniate dentate processes 
gives the leaves a peculiarly blunt appearance. Moreover, the leaves are 
often split above into two or three lobes which are again fringed in the most 
diverse manner. If there be three lobes, the central one is usually narrower 
with thick-walled cells. The processes themselves are composed of two or 
three rows of linear cells and are much branched and dentate. The areola- 
tion at the base of the leaves is normal, but becomes very irregular above, 
there being at times almost a false nerve of thick-walled cells. 
It will be noticed at once that these peculiar processes are practically 
identical in structure with the paraphyllia which cover the stem and are 
often attached to the base of the leaves, but this similarity does not seem to 
furnish any explanation for the peculiar development. Indeed, the writer is 
wholly at loss in this regard. That many species of mosses reproduce 
vegetatively from the protonemata jDroduced by detached portions of the stem 
or leaves, has long been known, and the leaves of the younger portions of the 
plants here described show a greater development of the peculiar processes. 
Still even the oldest leaves show traces of it, though with a certain ragged 
appearance as if the filiments ^had decayed or broken off. Perhaps the 
processes break off as the leaves grow older and broken portions develop 
new growths. Yet the very slight resemblance in structure -and cell 
contents between the processes and ordinary protonemal filaments, as well 
as the absence of any trace of a cleavage line, seems opposed to this 
explanation. Moreover, no reference is made by Correns in his work. 
“ Vermehrung der Laubmoose,” to any such cases in the germs, Hyloco?niu 7 n, 
nor has the writer been able to discover any references in other literature to 
the peculiar structures here described. New York City. 
