Robert R. Ireland

Grimmias of the World

Primary Succession and Ecosystem Rehabilitation by Lawrence Walker and Roger del Moral begins with a good introduction suggesting why one would want to learn about this topic. The authors’ treatments on soils, soil development, and soil processes are excellent. They describe early colonists of bare soil sites and discuss factors that influence the rate of early succession. Many ecological and climatic factors are well described, as is the role of modeling in the study and analysis of successional processes. Modeling, experimentation, and the search for generalities are three possible tools the authors recognize for analyzing successional processes, however they focus their discussion on modeling, providing minimal dialogue on the other two methods. The universal principles and theories that guide any rehabilitation project are thoroughly covered by the authors, but few specific examples are provided. Those that are included are small in scale, generally comprised of experimental research plots or severely disturbed mining areas. While useful for those working in such dimensions, it is not representative of the large-scale rehabilitation projects frequently undertaken in western North America following wildfire. Such projects can exceed 50,000 acres in size, and are commonly greater than 10,000 acres. The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management spend millions of dollars each year on these types of projects, many of which are actively rehabilitated due to the presence of ‘‘transformer’’ species such as exotic annual grasses. In the Great Basin, the introduction of cheatgrass, Bromus tectorum, has drastically altered successional pathways and fire regimes. The concept of ‘‘transformer’’ species invasion and implementation of rehabilitation treatments under such conditions is not addressed, but would have provided additional relevant discussion topics. The glossary is excellent and the discussion of successional theory is thorough. However, I was disappointed that bryophytes and lichens are addressed only in broad categorical terms throughout the book. The decline of Sphagnum moss from air pollution and acid rain is discussed in brief, but few other cryptogams are directly mentioned. Many primary successional sites I am aware of have high cover of either mosses or lichens or both; however, such sites were discussed only in terms of their vascular plants. I contend that cryptogams are also capable of modifying a sites’ microclimate sufficiently to be considered successional species. Vascular plants that serve as nurse plants are discussed, but the importance of cryptogams in this same role is not. Until the last two chapters, this book does not emphasize the concept of stochastic ecology and how it can drive succession. The authors do little to promote the more modern concept in plant ecology of ‘‘state and transition’’, though it is mentioned in the discussion of rehabilitation in Chapter 8 and in ‘‘Future Directions’’ in Chapter 9. I would not recommend this book for students. In fact, this book illustrates the need for a modern treatment on primary succession with more emphasis on the critical role of cryptogams. While it serves as a good reference on theoretical modeling of successional processes, most readers of THE BRYOLOGIST will be disappointed by the few references to cryptogams.—ROGER ROSENTRETER, Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State Office, Boise, Idaho 83709, U.S.A.

Studies of the Genus Plagiothecium in Australasia

Plagiothecium novae-seelandiae Broth., described from New Zealand, has been con- sidered a synonym of the Northern Hemisphere species, P. denticulatum (Hedw.) B.S.G. An ex- amination of the type and other specimens from New Zealand and Australia (including Tasmania), however, reveals notable differences that warrant recognition ofthe taxon as a distinct species endemic to the region. A description and illustrations are provided. Examination ofthe type ofPlagiothecium novae-valesiae Broth. necessitates its transfer to Ectropothecium novae-valesiae (Broth.) Irel. comb. nov. Another species, Plagiothecium lucidum (Hook. f & Wils.) Paris, is reported for the first time for Australia and New Zealand.

Grimmia anodon (Musci: Grimmiaceae) in North America North of Mexico

Numerous occurrences of Grimmia anodon B.S.G. are confirmed for the western United States and Canada, but the species is rare in eastern North America. The species is newly reported for Quebec and verified for New Brunswick. Some of the eastern collections are from concrete, which is evidence of recent establishments. Grimmia anodon B.S.G. is a widespread and common moss in western North America

Cytotaxonomic Studies on Mosses from Washington and Idaho

Meiotic chromosome counts were made of 22 Washington and Idaho mosses in 14 genera and eight families. The chromosome numbers for 20 taxa are reported for the first time and two other taxa have been found to have a chromosome number different from that previously reported. This report is a continuation of a cytotaxonomic study undertaken in the course of assisting Dr. Elva Lawton in the preparation of a moss flora of the Pacific Northwest. The meiotic chromosomes of the spore mother cells were studied with the cytological techniques described in an earlier report (Ireland 1963). Acetic-orcein was used exclusively in the present study since it was found to be the most effective in producing the greatest contrast between the chromosomes and the cytoplasm. The collections cited in this paper are represented by voucher specimens in the University of Washington herbarium. The counties cited are in Washington unless stated otherwise. DITRICHUM MONTANUM Leib., n=13 (Fig. 1). Skamania Co., July 12, 1964. RRI-8833. The number n=13 for this autoicous species agrees with some of the other reports for the autoicous members of Ditrichum subgenus Ditrichum. The meiotic chromosomes are similar in staining qualities and behavior to those described for D. pallidum (Hedw.) Hampe (Al-Aish & Anderson 1961). Morphologically, however, the chromosome complement differs from it and from the other autoicous species studied thus far by having one bivalent noticeably larger than the other 12 (Fig. 1). A large and conspicuous bivalent is also found in the complement of other members of the family Ditrichaceae, specifically D. cylindricum (Hedw.) Grout (as Trichodon cylindricus (Hedw.) Schimp., Steere 1954) and Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid. (Steere, Anderson, & Bryan 1954). Ditrichum montanum was considered to be a rare moss in the western United States for many years. Anderson and Bryan (1958a), in a cytotaxonomic revision of the autoicous species of Ditrichum subgenus Ditrichum, were unable to obtain cytological material of this species. Furthermore, they were able to locate only four herbarium specimens, collected in Washington and Idaho, which they 1 This study was supported by grant G-19332 from the National Science Foundation to the University of Washington. I am especially grateful to Dr. Elva Lawton and Dr. A. R. Kruckeberg of the University of Washington for their help. I wish to thank Dr. and Mrs. N. Higinbotham of Washington State University for collecting some of the cytological material. 2 Department of Botany, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.111 on Tue, 09 Aug 2016 04:50:03 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1965] IRELAND: CYTOTAXONOMY OF MOSSES 73

Cuticular Papillae of Atrichum crispum

Cuticular papillae on the teeth of the leaves of North American plants of A. crispum (James) Sull. are shown in SEM micrographs for the first time. They are an important character for the identification of the species and an aid in distinguishing A. crispum from the closely related A. tenellum (Riihl.) B.S.G., which lacks papillae. A key and illustrations, together with habitat and distribution information, are presented to distinguish the two species. Many taxa in the genus Atrichum have been ob- served to possess cuticular papillae on their leaf cells (Frye 1937; Ireland 1969; Nyholm 1971; Smith 1977). In North America north of Mexico the ma- jority of taxa, including A. altecristatum (Ren. & Card.) Smyth & Smyth, A. angustatum (Brid.) B.S.G., A. crispum (James) Sull., A. cylindricum (Willd. ex Weber) G. Smith, A. hausknechtii Jur. & Milde, A. oerstedianum (C. Miill.) Mitt., and A. undulatum (Hedw.) P. Beauv., are known to possess these mi- nute projections on the surface of their leaves. Two species in particular, A. macmillani (Holz.) Frye and A. papillosum (Jenn.) Frye, were described princi- pally on the basis of their finely papillose leaf cells (Anderson 1938). Today, however, these two spe- cies are considered synonyms of A. angustatum as most bryologists are aware that the presence of cu- ticular papillae-as well as the extent of their cov-

Fissidens ventricosus in North America

Fissidens ventricosus Lesq., an endemic moss of western North America, is distinct from F. rufulus B.S.G. of Europe, a species for which it has been mistakenly considered synonymous. The American species is redescribed and its distribution is reported. Studies on the mosses of western North America continually reveal distinct species long buried in synonymy. Some recent examples are Dicranum howellii Ren. & Card., which is geographically and morphologically distinct from D. scoparium Hedw., Homalo- thecium fulgescens (Mitt. ex C. Miill.) Lawt., which Lawton (1965) found to be distinct from H. lutescens (Hedw.) Robins., and Grimmia cinclidodontea C. Miill., which Robinson and Hermann (1964) have shown to be distinct from G. alpicola Hedw. A review of the western taxa of Fissidens now discloses another moss, F. ventricosus Lesq., that has been erroneously considered a synonym of the European species F. rufulus B.S.G. Fissidens ventricosus was described in 1868 by Lesquereux from plants collected by Bolander from submerged rocks at Mendocino City, California. Following the description, Lesquereux stated that his new species resembled F. rufulus B.S.G. but differed by the more obtuse leaves that were generally entirely surrounded by a thick margin. He further commented that it was only in the upper parts of new branches that the leaves appeared similar to those of F. rufulus. The sporophytes of the two species could not be compared since capsules were not yet known for F. rufulus, and they were extremely rare in F. ventricosus; Lesquereux stated that he had only one deoperculate capsule upon which to base his description. No illustrations were pro- vided with the description of F. ventricosus, but Sullivant (1874) later illustrated the gametophyte and sporophyte. An operculum was drawn, but Sullivant failed to mention the collection from which he had obtained it. An examination of the type of F. ven- tricosus from Lesquereuxs herbarium revealed one capsule with the operculum halfway off that was overlooked by Lesquereux; perhaps this was the one illustrated by Sullivant. Evidently Braithwaite (1887) was the first to refer F. ventricosus to the synonymy

Notes on New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Mosses

Seven species and one variety of mosses are reported from New Brunswick for the first time. A previously overlooked specimen of Orthotrichum gymnostomum Bruch ex Brid., collected in this province in 1884, is the only North American record of the species outside Newfoundland. Thirteen additional species are confirmed for New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. One of these, Mi- cromitrium austinii Sull. in Aust., is known in Canada from a single specimen collected in Nova Scotia in 1947. Eleven taxa are shown to have been incorrectly reported for Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.

Bryophytes New to New Mexico

Eighteen bryophytes, including Bryum pyriferum Crundw. & Whiteh. new to North America, are added to the flora of New Mexico. Recent collecting in the southern and central parts of the state adds 15 mosses and one liverwort to the bryoflora, while herbarium studies and an overlooked literature report account for the other two additions. Recent studies on the bryoflora of New Mexico have revealed 18 taxa new to the state, including one species new to North America. Collecting in the central (Torrance County) and the southern (Dona Ana and Sierra counties) parts of the state in 1979-80 by Talbot and Todsen resulted in 15 additions to the list of mosses by Mahler (1978) and one addition to the liverworts reported by Shields (1954) and Bird (1960). Much of the collecting was done in the White Sands Missile Range in eastern Dona Ana and Sierra counties, where few botanists have collected since the range was established. While the moss collections were being identified, a specimen of Grimmia rauii that is new to New Mexico was discovered in CANM. It also was found that a New Mexico collection of Plagiothecium denticulatum reported by Ireland (1969) had been omitted from Mahlers (1978) list. All specimens from the 1979-80 season were collected in calcareous habitats except Neckera pennata var. tenera (granitic), Phascum cuspidatum (granitic), Tortella humilis (epiphytic, T8003-44), and Tortula obtusissima (epiphytic, T8005-25; granitic, T8002-3, T8003-26, T8004-4). Collections were made within a variety of plant communities and included: ponderosa pine forest of Manzano Mountains; oak-pine woodland of Salinas Peak; juniper-pinyon woodland of Salinas Peak; Fraxinus velutina canyon, Ash Canyon, and creosote bush-grassland in the Shalam Hills. The bryoflora of New Mexico is thus far known to be similar to that of adjacent Arizona (Haring 1961) as one might suspect. The aridity of both states is reflected by the occurrence of a high number of xerophytic taxa, which are characteristic of the American Southwest. However, much more collecting needs to be done in New Mexico. The list of mosses known from the state now contains 189 taxa, including those reported here, compared to almost twice that number reported for Arizona. The mosses were identified by the senior author, and the liverwort by Linda Ley. The nomenclature of the Hepaticae is basically that of Stotler and Crandall-Stotler (1977) and the Musci is that of Crum et al. (1973). Voucher specimens are deposited in duplicate in CANM and the private herbarium of Talbot.

Symphyodon (Symphyodontaceae) in the Americas

Symphyodon is represented in the Americas by a single species, S. machrisianus (Crum) Buck & Ireland comb. nov. Although Symphyodon is generally thought of as an Asiatic genus, its distribution falls within a little- studied pattern of taxa of primarily Asiatic affinities with outliers in tropical America (cf. Buck 1987 for a listing of some such genera). It was not until 1982 that the genus was reported for the Americas, when W. C. Steere reported material of what he described as a new species from Colombia and Ecuador. Spo- rophytically, the genus is immediately recognizable because of erect cylindric spinose capsules. Unfor- tunately, because the plants are dioicous, seldom producing male plants, they are rarely fertile. In fact, we have seen only two collections with sporophytes: the type of Symphyodon americanus from Colom-

Schistidium obtusifolium, a New Species of the Grimmiaceae from Quebec

Schistidium obtusifolium is described and illustrated as a new species from Quebec, Canada. It is distinguished by julaceous stems, rounded-obtuse, muticous, concave leaves with entire, plane to narrowly reflexed, usually bistratose margins, subpercurrent to percurrent costae, and eperistomate capsules. The Gasp6 Peninsula and the adjacent Bic region of Quebec are legendary from a botanical point of view as localities where many plants were first dis- covered and described or are rare disjuncts from populations in western North America (Fernald 1924, 1925, 1932; Scoggan 1950). Therefore, it is no surprise that a new species of moss has been discovered in this interesting part of Canada.