Robert H. Mohlenbrock

The Cyperaceae of Illinois

This paper brings up-to-date the status of the cypera- ceous genera Dulichium and Eleocharis in Illinois. A single species of Dulichium is recorded for Illinois; the genus Eleocharis is represented by 14 species. Keys, descriptions, and general discussions are provided for each taxon.

A Study of Eleocharis, Series Ovatae

In his latest treatment of the genus, Svenson (1957) subdivided Eleocharis into eight morphological series, the fourth being Series Ovatae. Members of this series are cespitose annuals or rarely perennials that possess smooth, biconvex achenes that are glistening brown when mature, with compressed lamelliform tubercles, and 2to 3-cleft styles. Svenson (1927, 1939, 1957), in his monographic studies, maintains four species, with three of them (E. obtusa, E. ovata, and E. engelmanni) from Illinois. The fourth species, E. lanceolata, with ovoid, acute scales and lanceolate spikelets, is apparently not found in Illinois. In addition, the bristleless E. engelmanni f. detonsa is cited from Illinois. Gilly (1946), in his work on Iowa Cyperaceae, noted that intergrading forms occur between E. obtusa and E. engelmanni, even to the extent that typical achenes of both may be found on the same specimens. He felt that the two taxa should not be considered distinct species, but that E. engelmanni should be considered a variety of E. obtusa. He therefore proposed E. obtusa var. engelmanni. Fernald (1950), Jones (1950), and Gleason (1952) have maintained E. obtusa, E. engelmanni, and E. ovata distinct in Illinois. Svenson (1953) in his detailed work on the obtusa-ovata complex states that many intermediate forms do exist where the variations come in contact or where unusual environments persist. He also stresses the need for further investigation within this group. While studying the genus Eleocharis in Illinois, it became apparent to the authors that specimens determined previously as E. obtusa, E. engelmanni, and E. ovata were part of a confusing complex. As a result of this, analytical studies of morphological characters of these specimens were carried out. This paper presents these data, and through the interpretation of these data, offers a systematic treatment of these taxa.

The Taxonomic Status of Eleocharis elliptica

During the course of an investigation of the Cyperaceae of Illinois, great difficulty has been encountered in determining some species of Eleocharis. Further study revealed many irregularities which exist in several species complexes. This paper is an attempt to show the relationships believed to exist in one of these complexes in Illinois. In this study, 157 mature individual plants were examined. The authors wish to thank the curators of the following herbaria who kindly loaned specimens of Eleocharis: Chicago Museum of Natural History, Illinois State Museum, University of Illinois, Illinois Natural History Survey, Western Illinois University, and Eastern Illinois University. RECENT TAXONOMIC STATUS

Eleocharis, Subseries Palustres, in Illinois

According to the latest monograph (Svenson, 1957), the genus Eleocharis is composed of eight series which are based mainly on morphological characteristics. In the past, the taxa belonging to the sixth series, Series Palustriformes, have been the subjects of many disputes due to the close similarities of the taxa within the series. The Series Palustriformes is composed of two subseries, Palustres and Truncatae. Six species are included in Subseries Palustres by Svenson: Eleocharis kamtschatica, E. fallax, E. erythropoda (E. calva of most authors), E. halophila, E. macrostachya (E. mamillata of some authors), and E. smalli (American E. palustris of some authors). Of these six species, three have been reported from Illinois-E. erythropoda, E. macrostachya, and E. smalli. Approximately thirty years ago Fernald and Brackett (1929) conducted an extensive study on the Palustres complex. Of the three taxa cited by Svenson (1957), Fernald and Brackett had construed four species, namely E. palustris from Europe and North America, E. smal1i from North America, E. mamillata from Europe and North America, and E. calva from eastern Asia, the Hawaiian Islands, and North America. Later Svenson (1939) cited five species from this group, these being E. palustris, E. smalli, E. calva, E. mamillata, and E. macrostachya, of which E. mamillata was considered to be European and E. macrostachya, to be of the western United States. Gilly (1946) with his work in Iowa recognized two species from Subseries Palustres-E. calva and E. macrostachya. He was unable to separate middle western plants with more acute scales and firm culms, usually identified as E. smalli by most workers, from the typical E. smalli because of a series of complex intergradations. He suggested that E. smalli might apparently belong to the Atlantic Coast region, and perhaps not readily separated from other species of the Palustres complex. Fernald (1950) recognized four species of the Palustres group from North America: E. palustris, E. smalli, E. macrostachya, and E. calva. Jones (1950) also cited four species from this group in Illinois, recognizing the same ones that Fernald recognized, but replacing E. macrostachya with E. mamillata. Both Fernald and Jones used characters of the achene, fertile scales, and culms in their differentiation of the species. Gleason (1952) recognized two species from North America, namely E. palustris and E. calva. Eleocharis calva is described as having a single large basal scale that completely encircles the culm, and

Notes on the Algal Flora of Illinois

This paper lists several species of algae previously unreported or infrequently reported as occurring in Illinois. A total of 153 species, varieties, and forms are enumerated of which 52 are new records for the State of Illinois. Included is the first report for the rhodophycean genus Lemanea in this state.

Land Snails in Ephemeral Pools at Ottine Swamp, Gonzales County, Texas

Abstract We found five species of terrestrial land snails in dried ephemeral pools at Ottine Swamp, Palmetto State Park, Gonzales County, Texas. We recorded four species previously known (Anguispira stronglyodes, Mesomphix friabilis, Olygyra orbiculata, and Rabdotus dealbatus) and added a new occurrence (Mesodon thyroidus) to the list of species in the park. Resumen Se encontraron cinco especies de caracoles terrestres en los fondos secos de unos charcos efímeros en Ottine Swamp, Palmetto State Park, en el condado de Gonzales, Texas. Registramos cuatro especies conocidas anteriormente (Anguispira stronglyodes, Mesomphix friabilis, Olygyra orbiculata y Rabdotus dealbatus) y añadimos una nueva especie (Mesodon thyroidus) a la lista de especies en el parque.

Asplenium X herb-wagneri: A Collective Epithet for A. pinnatifidum X trichomanes

On the basis of a specimen collected from Pine Hills, Union County, Illinois on 12 October 1967, Wagner and Wagner (1969) described a new Asplenium hybrid arising from a cross between the amphidiploid A. pinnatifidum and a diploid race of A. trichomanes. Voucher material of this hybrid is morphologically intermediate between the putative parents. Asplenium pinnatifidum x trichomanes is known to exist only as a sterile triploid, but chromosome doubling could presumably form an allohexaploid capable of viable spore production.

Variation in North American Asplenium platyneuron

One of the most common and widespread of the eastern North American spleenworts is the Ebony Spleenwort, Asplenium platyneuron (L.) Oakes ex D. C. Eaton, which ranges from Quebec to Ontario, south to Colorado, Texas, Florida, and the West Indies. It is also known from South America and South Africa (Mohlenbrock, 1967, p. 157). Because it is a common, attractive, and variable species, a number of varieties and forms have been recognized by both professional pteridologists and amateur fern enthusiasts. We have found the literature to contain nine infraspecific names accounting for variations in frond and pinna form or in stipe and rachis branching or proliferations. The purpose of this paper is to account historically for these taxa, to review their taxonomy and nomenclature, and to provide a key for their identification. The stimulus for this report comes from the discovery of the striking cut-leaf variant A. platyneuron f. hortonae, which is reported here for the first time from Illinois. Our studies have revealed that much herbarium material of A. platyneuron is incompletely or incorrectly determined below the species level.

Notes on the algal flora of Illinois II The genus Trachelomonas Ehrenberg of the Pine Hills, Union County, Illinois

Members of the genus Trachelomonas comprise a portion of the Euglenophyta which have received only minor attention in the state of Illinois despite their wide distribution. Britton, in his A Catalog of Illinois Algae (1944), reports 11 species recorded from 33 different counties. Tiffany and Britton indicate the same species in The Algae of Illinois (1952). Two of the most extensive accounts (Prescott, 1951; Forest, 1954) of species of Trachelomonas in the midwestern United States together list well over sixty species and varieties. Recent preliminary investigations in the southern counties of Illinois revealed a large number of species heretofore unrecognized in the state. One such investigation to which the following text is devoted disclosed 31 species and varieties from a single area in a southern county, 26 of which can be considered new records for the state.

The Desmidiaceae of Madison Pond, Williamson County, Illinois

A check-list of the Desmidiaceae of Madison Pond, Williamson County, Illinois, is presented. A total of fifty-five species, varieties, and forms are included in this report. Of this number, twenty- eight are not included in The Algae of Illinois.