Mitotic chromosome numbers in 35 populations of mosses collected in Czecho-Slovakia, France, Hungary, and Spain are reported. No chromosome numbers have earlier been counted in mosses from Czecho-Slovakia and Spain. Chromosome numbers are published for the first time for the genera Pterogonium and Scorpiurium and for the species Pterogonium gracile (Hedw.) Sm. (n = 11), Homalothecium aureum (Spruce) Robins. (n = 10), Rhynchostegiella curviseta (Brid.) Limpr. (n = 11), Scleropodium touretii (Brid.) L. Koch (n = 11), Scorpiurium circinatum (Brid.) Fleisch. (n = 11), and Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. var. lacunosum Brid. (n = 10). New chromosome numbers are given for Brachythecium glareosum (Spruce) B.S.G. (n = 9), Rhynchostegium megapolitanum (Bland.) B.S.G. (n = 11), and Plagiothecium sylvaticum (Brid.) B.S.G. (n = 10). Some of the pioneers in moss cytology studied mosses from Central Europe, e.g., Marchal and Marchal (1911), Marchal (1912), Heitz (1926, 1928, 1932, 1942, 1945), and Wettstein (1937). These studies have been continued by, e.g., Ho (1956) and Gybrffy (1964) who studied mosses from France and Hungary, respectively. Occasional other reports on chromosome numbers in mosses have been made from this part of Europe; on the whole only few chromosome numbers in mosses are known from Central and South Europe. MATERIALS AND METHODS Mitotic chromosomes were counted in gametophytic meristematic tissues. The cytological techniques and the methods of cultivation were the same as described by Wigh and Strandhede (1971). Material of the genera Homalothecium and Scleropodium was stained in aceto-orcein according to the method (somewhat modified) used by Prof. Saturo Inoue (pers. comm.). 1) Pretreatment in cold water about 20C for five hours. For low-growing species a shorter time is recommended. 2) Fixation in absolute alcohol, chloroform, and glacial aaetic acid (1:1:1) for 1-several days. 3) Staining in 2% aceto-orcein for 12-24 hours at 140C. (The aceto-orcein solution was made in the following way: 2 g orcein (natural orcein is recommended) were dissolved in 100 cc 45% acetic acid and heated on a water bath to the boiling point during 8 hours.) 4) Rinsing twice in 45% acetic acid to wash away the surplus of stain. 5) Rinsing in water to wash away the acetic acid. Soaking in pectinase, dissecting the meristematic zone, and squashing were as described by Wigh and Strandhede (1971). The preparations can be made permanent as described in the same paper. 1 thank Prof. Bengt Pettersson and M. Sc. Stellan Sunhede who collected mosses from France, and Czecho-Slovakia and Hungary, respectively, and Dr. Elsa Nyholm who determined and verified some of the mosses. 2 Department of Systematic Botany, University of Goteborg, Carl Skottsbergs gata 22, S-41319 G6teborg, Sweden. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.46 on Sat, 11 Jun 2016 05:24:02 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1972] WIGH: EUROPEAN MOSS CHROMOSOME NUMBERS 137 The films used for the photographing were Copex Ortho (from Agfa-Gevaert) and Kodalith Ortho Film Type 3, Graphic Arts Film (from Kodak). The mosses from Spain were collected by the author during the excursion of the Botanical Institute of Gothenburg to the South of Spain in April 1971. Voucher specimens are at the Botanical Museum, University of Goteborg (GB), Sweden. LOCALITIES AND CHROMOSOME NUMBERS FOR THE TAXA STUDIED In the following list, the name of each taxon is followed by its chromosome number, its locality and collection reference numbers, and the figure numbers. Abbreviations used for the localities are as follows: CZECHO-SLOVAKIA: I) Prague. II) Prague, Reporyje. FRANCE: III) Dep. H6rault, Montpellier, river Grand, Pont St. Nicolas. HUNGARY: IV) Budapest. V) Budapest, Csevharaszt. VI) Keszthely, Kisbalaton. VII) Paks, Nagy-Dorog. SPAIN: VIII) Prov. Cidiz, 2 km W Grazalema, Sierra del Pinar. IX) Prov. Granada, Las Alpujarras, Tr~velez. X) Prov. Granada, Las Alpujarras, road Orgiva-Pampaneira. XI) Prov. Milaga, 1 km NNE Benadalid, road Jimena-Ronda. XII) Prov. Mflaga, Gaucin. XIII) Prov. Mglaga, 8 km W Ronda, Sierra los Cumbres. XIV) Prov. Mglaga, Road San Pedro de AlcintaraRonda, 7 km from San Pedro. XV) Prov. Milaga, 5 km W Alhaurin de la Torre. XVI) Prov. Mglaga, between Fuengirola and Marbella, Calahonda. XVII) Prov. Mflaga, Marbella, Urbanizaci6n Elviria.