— 56 
from Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. But even in the interior, good material 
apparently is not lacking: fine specimens of A. papillosum have recently been 
received from Michigan. Except in regions where the climate is congenial, 
however, it is to be expected that sphagnums of surgical value will be very local 
in their distribution. 
In conclusion, information is particularly sought regarding the occurrence 
in quantity of 5 . papillosum, since this species, as already pointed out, has proven 
the most uniformly adapted to surgical use. S. papillosum, to a limited degree, 
of course, can be recognized by its very robust habit and its commonly yellowish 
brown to brown pigmentation. Information regarding S. palustre, S. imbricatum, 
and 5. magellanicum, where these appear sufficiently luxuriant to be of use, 
will also be welcome, but these, particularly the last named, tend to be of too 
poor quality (too much stem in proportion to foliage, stem too stiff, etc.) to 
meet the requirements. 
Sheffield Scientific School, Yale University. 
NOTES ON RADULA OBCONICA SULL. 
Annie Lorenz 
There are but few references to this interesting species in American hepatic 
literature. Sullivant’s original description, copied by Underwood in his catalog 
of North American Hepaticae, ( 7 , p. 44) was in the 1848 edition of Gray’s Man- 
ual (6, p. 688), but it was not there illustrated. The figures appeared in the 
second edition, 1856, drawn by Isaac Sprague. While they are very small, 
and lacking in critical detail, they give a good impression of R. obconica' s branch- 
ing habit, and its general similarity to R. complanata. In fact, the two species 
are very closely related, the chief reason for separating them being the difference 
in their methods of vegetative reproduction. 
The plant is of a more copiously branching and slender aspect than R. 
complanata, and it is found in moister situations than either that or R. tenax, 
on rocks in brooks, damp places near waterfalls, dripping rocks, etc. Sullivant 
gives its habitat as cedar trees, but Austin first notes its occurrence on rocks 
in his exsiccatae. In New England it usually occurs on rocks, being found 
uoon both granitic and trap rocks. 
As R. obconica has been but scantily described or figured, the following 
description has been compiled mainly from Sullivant and Stephani ( 4 ). The 
latter, of course, is not familiar with it in the field, so the writer has been obliged 
to differ with him on a few minor points. He says the species is heteroicous; 
it should be regarded rather as proterandrous, as the $ bracts are developed 
on the branch before the $ bracts. He gives the bracts as “hardly smaller 
than the stem-leaves”; the contrary is true of the New England material; also 
he makes no mention of the method of vegetative reproduction in either this 
or any other species of Radula. Muller, also, does not consider the method of 
vegetative reproduction as a specific diagnostic character. 
Stevens ( 5 ), in 1910, studied the discoid gemmae in R. complanata, and 
Miss Williston ( 9 ), in 1912, discussed several species of Radula, all of which 
