Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
41 
So far as I liave been able to observe this formation of bulbils 
goes on in the moss where it is exposed to great variation in drought 
and moisture, and where the w^et periods are not of sufficient duration 
to allow of the sexual process taking place. I have not yet found 
the moss in fruit, although I have now found it in many different 
localities, always in exposed situations, and nearly always with the 
formation of bulbils. 
I have also found similar bulbils on the following mosses : — 
Poly triclium, sp. : This moss grows in tufts in the cracks and on 
the edges of exposed rocks. It has normal stems about half an inch 
long and rather short leaves, with long, hyaline dentate points, giving 
the whole tuft a whitish appearance. The bulbils are formed fairly 
plentifully, and rhizoids are freely formed. In this case the bulbils 
are usually developed from lateral branches, several occurring on 
the same stem, and near the top, giving some plants a rosette appear- 
ance. The micro-photograph, Fig. 3, is from a bulbil found quite 
close to a tuft, and which had just commenced to develop. 
Bartramia, sp., found growing in patches on dripping, rocky 
banks. On the surface of tiny, quiet pools I found small masses of 
what appeared to be some water plant. Each patch, however, was 
found to consist of large numbers of tiny bulbils, mostly under a 
millimetre in length. In most cases development had already com- 
menced, and the bulbils were densely matted together by prolific out- 
growths of rhizoids. The patches evidently eventually got to the 
side, and, becoming stranded on the mud, formed cushions of the 
moss similar to those found in the immediate neighbourhood. Other 
bulbils or patches would be carried by the trickling water to other 
places, and thus get disseminated. A peculiarity of this bulbil is 
that the lower portion of the small stem is usually bare, as shown in 
Fig. 4, which is a reproduction of a bulbil which had not commenced 
to develop. Fig. 5 is of a similar bulbil with an outgrowth of 
rhizoids. 
I have recently found bulbils on another moss which has not 
yet been identified. It is evidently allied to Bryum argenteum , 
having closely imbricated leaves, but much smaller. The bulbils 
are very small, and are scattered on the top of the cushion-like tufts 
of the moss. 
In England a common moss which usually produces bulbils is 
Dicranum heteromallum . 
Specimens of these mosses with bulbils are in the Herbarium of 
the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria. 
Explanation of Figures (Plate IV). 
Fig\ 1. Bulbils from Campylopus trichodes, magnified about two and 
a half times in dry condition, showing spreading points 
of the leaves. 
Fig. 2, Bulbils of Campylopus, showing spreading leaves and small 
development of rhizoids. 
Fig. 3. Bulbil of poly trichum, sp., showing development. 
Fig. 4. Bulbil of bartramia, sp., showing condition when just 
discarded. 
Fig. 5. Bulbil of bartramia , sp., showing development of rhizoids 
from base of stem. 
