Weissia Controversa Research Articles

Bryofloristic diversity and conservation value of a protected area in the Brazilian semi-arid region

We collected 137 samples (71—rainy season; 66—dry) for the Brazilian state of Paraíba. With a total of 23 species (one hornwort, 14 mosses and nine liverworts), we updated the bryoflora of Paraíba, a hotspot of bryophytes, by one rare species (Weissia controversa), increasing the total number of species to 188. The floristic composition in the Poeta e Repentista Juvenal de Oliveira State Park is affected by chronic anthropogenic disturbances, and is typical of arid environments, regardless of the season. This indicates homogenization of the habitat from the loss of ecological niche due to the disordered use of local natural resources. However, the record of Philonotis hastata, categorized as Near Threatened by the IUCN; the geographic expansion of a species; and the presence of rare species for Brazil reinforce the importance of the Conservation Unit for bryophyte biodiversity. Despite the floristic composition, we identified that interpretations about biology, environmental functionality and species distribution are more consistent for environmental assessment and decision-making on conservation actions.

Discovery of the First Nearctic Moss-Eating Flea Beetle, Distigmoptera borealis Blake, 1943 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini)

A flea beetle, Distigmoptera borealisBlake, 1943, is documented for the first time to feed on liverworts, Reboulia hemisphaerica (L.) Raddi (Aytoniaceae), and moss, Weissia controversa Hedw. (Pottiaceae). This is the first and only known bryobiont leaf beetle in the USA and Nearctic biogeographic region. The adult of D. borealis is redescribed and illustrated, and the larva and pupa of D. borealis are described and illustrated for the first time.

Diversity of Bryophyte in The Selarong Cave Area, Bantul, Yogyakarta

The Selarong Cave area which is located in Bantul is a tourism site that has a humid environment condition due to the dense of big trees in these locations. There is also a waterfall. These conditions make it possible for bryophyte to grow surrounding the area. This research aims to identify the type of bryophyte grow in the Selarong Cave area, and know the characteristics. The method of this research is the exploration method which includes site investigation, identification, inventory, and descriptive analysis for both morphology and anatomy of the bryophyte. The finding of this research shows that there are 6 species of bryophyte which were found in the Selarong Cave area. They are Hyophila involuta (Hook.) Jaeg., Barbula consanguinea (Thw.&Mitt.) Jaeg., Bryum erytropus Fleisch., Weissia controversa Hedw., Preissia sp., and Vesicularia dubyana (C. Mull.) Broth.

New Pottiaceae records to the moss flora of Libya

POTTIACEAE includes up to 5,311 species worldwide. It is the largest moss family in Libya with 41 out of a total of 98 species known from this country. Most of the species are quite old records based on collections published before 1932. In this recent work 20 Pottiaceae mosses are reported from Libya including two new records namely; Microbryum rectum (With.) R.H.Zander and Weissia controversa var. crispata (Nees and Hornsch.) Nyholm. Descriptions and illustrations of the two new records together with geographic distribution and brief comments on all taxa are given.

A Synopsis of the family Pottiaceae in Brazil

The Pottiaceae are acrocarpous mosses, with South America being considered one of the centers of diversity. A revision of Brazilian species of the Pottiaceae resulted in 66 accepted species in the subfamilies Timmielloideae, Trichostomoideae, Barbuloideae, and Pottioideae. These species are found at elevations from sea level to 2700 m in Brazil. The family itself consists of 36 genera and 66 species, with only six taxa being considered endemic. Two new synonyms are designated for Weissia controversa: Weissia submicacea and Trichostomum exulatum. An illustrated key is presented for all the Brazilian species of the family Pottiaceae, as well as the vegetation types where they occur, there altitudinal ranges in Brazil, substrate types, world distributions, and additional comments.

Trichostomum crispulumBruch (Pottiaceae): A Moss Species New to the State of Oregon

Trichostomum crispulum has been found in Oregon on Medford BLM lands. It is newly documented to this state. During past surveys, it has been difficult to distinguish due to its similarity to other mosses like Weissia controversa.

Molecular phylogeny of Trichostomoideae (Pottiaceae, Bryophyta) based on nrITS sequence data

AbstractBayesian analysis of an alignment of 83 nrITS sequences belonging to 66 taxa of Pottiaceae revealed representatives of subfamily Trichostomoideae in a well supported monophyletic lineage. Two robust clades within Trichostomoideae include species of Tortella and Weissia, respectively. Eucladium verticillatum is part of Trichostomoideae, and Anoectangium, Gymnostomum, Hymenostylium, and Tuerckheimia form a robust basal clade. Affinities of Hyophila and Leptobarbula to Trichostomoideae are unclear. Within Trichostomoideae, Pleurochaete squarrosa is resolved in Tortella while Trichostomum tenuirostris, Pseudosymblepharis, and Chionoloma are placed as a separate genus or part of a broadly defined Tortella. The type species of Trichostomum, T. brachydontium, is nested in Weissia together with T. brittonianum, T. crispulum, and T. jamaicensis. Trichostomum unguiculatum and W. ayresii are resolved as closely related and separate from the rest of the Weissia clade. The genus Astomum, erected for cleistocarpous species of Weissia, is also nested within Weissia. Genetic divergence between selected accessions of Weissia controversa and Astomum is sometimes smaller than between accessions of Weissia controversa.

Seasonal variation in the bryophyte diaspore bank of open grasslands on dolomite rock

Seasonal changes in the diaspore bank of bryophytes and background processes were investigated in two open grasslands on dolomite rock in Hungary by means of soil samples. To test the longevity of propagules and to collect information about their potential dormancy, a part of each sample was stored air-dried in the laboratory for periods of half a year and 1 year. In contrast to results of earlier studies, temporal variation was detected in the number of propagules stored in the soil of three species (Bryum argenteum, Bryum erythrocarpum agg. and Weissia controversa). There is evidence of dormancy in vegetative gemmae of species of the Bryum erythrocarpum complex and Weissia controversa. Dormancy is also hypothesized in spores of Phascum cuspidatum. We suggest that dormancy in bryophyte propagules is less rare than had hitherto been assumed. Probably this is due mainly to the relatively small number of investigations of species living in habitats with periodically unfavourable moisture and temperature conditions.

In vitro cultivation of bryophytes: a review of practicalities, problems, progress and promise

In vitro cultivation is not only essential for the use of bryophytes in cellular, developmental and molecular research but is also vital to the elucidation of the roles of juvenile stages in reproductive biology. Other important uses include the discovery of new characters for systematics, the conservation of rare taxa and understanding the functional significance of fungal and cyanobacterial association in hepatics and hornworts. This article, based on the culturing of over 300 mosses and nearly 50 hepatics sets out the practicalities of in vitro cultivation and reviews the potential rewards. Cultures, initiated from surface-sterilized spores, gemmae or vegetative fragments, are most easily handled in Petri dishes on media containing inorganic salts. Solidification of the medium with Phytogel or Gelrite is preferred to traditional agar because of toxic impurities in the latter. Dilution of the nutrients can be beneficial to the growth of some taxa. Prior knowledge of the seasonality of sporophyte production is vital for establishing cultures from spores, especially those of hepatics. The period of spore availability can be increased by storing ripe capsules at 4°C. Irradiances in culture are usually much lower than in nature, but are still sufficient for good growth, whereas temperatures above 25°C are damaging.Cultured materials can be weaned in vitro onto their natural substrata including rocks. These and protonemal gemmae suspensions are ideal inocula for reintroducing plants into the wild. Cryopreservation techniques are being developed for the long-term preservation of endangered taxa.Specimens grown in vitro are closely similar to their wild counterparts but sometimes produce propagules previously unknown in nature. Striking examples include the first reports of protonemal gemmae in Ditrichum cornubicum, Saelania glaucescens, Seligeria carniolica and Zygodon gracilis. By contrast, the absence of rhizoidal and protonemal propagules in all the British species of the Splachnaceae indicate that an earlier account of protonemal gemmae in Tayloria was probably based on misidentified material. The first description of a highly distinctive protonema in Buxbaumia viridis opens the way to identify this endangered species in the absence of sporophytes. Protonemata are providing an increasing number of new characters useful at all levels in the taxonomic hierarchy. The massive juvenile stages in Andreaea are impossible to equate with the filaments found in the Bryales. Rhizoidal ropes are a characteristic of the Polytrichales. Thalloid protonemata link Tetraphis and Oedipodium, a finding reinforced by molecular sequence data. Pointed chloronemata suggest the reassignment of Ephemerum to the Pottiales, an order characterized by asexual propagules lacking Tmema (abscission) cells. Highly differentiated gemmae with Tmema cells and hyaline sticky acumina support molecular data that Schistostega, Syrrhopodon and Calymperes are closely related members of the Dicranales. At the infraspecific level, distinctive protonemal morphology suggests that Weissia controversa var. densifolia may merit elevation to specific status.In vitro cultivation of hepatics and hornworts is complicated by the presence of fungal and cyanobacterial endophytes. Ascomycetes and basidiomycetes (and Nostoc) can be isolated from their hosts and the associations re-established in culture, thus fulfilling Koch's postulates. Glomus spores or mycorrhizal higher plants may be used as inocula to re-establish zygmycetous infections. Cross-infection studies are revealing a wide host range for the ascomycetes including many members of the Lepidoziaceae and Cephaloziaceae and extending to the Ericaceae, but the fungus Mniacea jungermanniae, that forms blue-green apothecia on the stems of Cephalozia bicuspidata, does not colonize the rhizoids of its hepatic hosts. Basidiomycetes isolated from a range of Jungermanniales are host specific and the fungus from Cryptothallus does not invade Aneura pinguis. The identification of two fungi, distinct both morphologically and in their host range, from alpine and lowland populations of A. pinguis, is in line with the varietal status recently assigned to these in Scandinavian specimens.

Patterns of relationships inTrichostomoideae (Pottiaceae, Musci)

Ribosomal DNA sequences were employed to infer relationships among EuropeanPottiaceae. Intragenic spacer I was sequenced for sixTrichostomoideae (Eucladium verticillatum, Pleurochaete squarrosa, Tortella flavovirens, T. nitida, T. tortuosa, Trichostomum brachydontium) and seven taxa from the other European subfamilies included inPottiaceae (Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum, Didymodon vinealis, Microbryum starkeanum, Tortula muralis, Syntrichia ruralis, Weissia controversa andTimmiella cf.barbuloides). Cladistic analysis of sequence data shows close relationships betweenPleurochaete, Tortella andWeissia. Tortella appears to be paraphyletic, as it includesPleurochaete, Weissia andTrichostomum. Weissia, therefore, seems to be better placed inTrichostomoideae than, as traditionally done, inPottioideae. NeitherMerceyoideae norPottioideae appear to be monophyletic sensu stricto, at least within the limits of the taxa in analysis. Within the latter subfamily,Syntrichia is clearly separated fromTortula. These results would suggest that taxonomy inPottiaceae does not depict the pattern of descent, and therefore is in need of revision.

Rhizoid Gemmae in Weissia controversa Hedw.

Multiform tuber-like gemmae occur on the rhizoids of some populations of Weissia controversa from the central and southern United States but are seemingly lacking in other pop- ulations examined. The gemmae are present year-round and occur in colonies both with and without sporophytes, from sea level to 2,388 m. The growing awareness of and interest in rhizoid gemmae in mosses was summarized recently by Risse (1987), who reviewed the extensive literature and found that rhizoid gemmae had been reported for 82 taxa of European mosses and 36 taxa of extra- European mosses. Although rhizoid gemmae were mentioned as occurring in Weissia controversa by Reese (1984), they have never been described or illustrated, and W. controversa Hedw. was not among the mosses listed by Risse. This article describes and illustrates the rhizoid gemmae of W. contro- versa and documents their occurrence in specimens from six states in the central and southern United States.

Experimental Taxonomy of Weissia controversa and W. sharpii (Musci: Pottiaceae)

Weissia sharpii Anders. & Lemmon is a recently described species endemic to the Southern Appalachian-Ozarkian region. It was distinguished from the more widespread species, W. controversa Hedw., on the basis of its diploid gametophytes, restricted habitat in cedar glades, and several morphological features of the gametophytes. An experiment was performed in which two populations each of W. sharpii and W. controversa were grown reciprocally on soil from each other's native habitats, and twelve morphological characters were measured. Soil type had virtually no effect on the expression of any of the characters. An analysis of variance indicates that the species differ significantly in leaf length-width ratio, upper leaf width, and in the width of the gap between involuted leaf margins. These morphological discontinuities, combined with differences in chro- mosome number and ecology, indicate that W. sharpii and W. controversa should be treated as separate species. Weissia controversa exhibited a greater degree of variation between populations than did W. sharpii when both were grown experimentally. This is in agreement with the relative variability of W. controversa in nature. Experimental studies on the plasticity of morphological characters in mosses and liverworts are reviewed. Weissia Hedw. is one of about sixty-five gen- era in the moss family, Pottiaceae. In their checklist of North American mosses, Crum et al. (1973) credited eight species of Weissia as occurring on this continent, but only one, W.

Contributo allo studio della vegetazione muscinale del territorio di Santo Pietro (Sicilia meridionale) : Sugherete, Leccete, Cisteti

Viene presentato uno studio brioecologico sulle formazioni boschive a Quercus ilex, Quercus suber e sulle garighe a Cistus sp.pl. del territorio di Santo Pietro (Sicilia meridionale) . Nella lecceta, data la notevole densità del bosco, si ritrova vai ricco contingente di specie sciafile della macchia alta e densa e delle foreste : Rhynchostegiella tenella var. litorea, Oxyrrhynchium praelongum var. stokesii, O. praelongum, Fissidens bryoides, F. bryoides ssp. incurvus, Brachythecium velutinum. Per contro, nella sughereta e nei cisteti, si nota da un lato un'accentuata diminuzione delle specie sopradette, dall'altro una netta predominanza di specie compagne degli stadi di degradazione delle foreste come : Trichostomum brachydontium, Weissia controversa, Scleropodium touretii, che mostrano una notevole plasticità, Pleuridium acuminatum, Fossombronia caespitiformis, entità xerofile, Timmiella anomala, T. barbuloides, Pleurochaete squarrosa, entità xerotermofile maggiormente diffuse nei cisteti in esame.

An Ecological Study of the Bryophytes of a Natural Prairie in Northwestern Iowa

An Ecological Study of the Bryophytes of a Natural Prairie in Northwestern Iowa

Eight Mosses New to Nigeria

Eight mosses are reported from Nigeria for the first time. These are Weissia controversa Hedw., Schoenobryum robustum (Broth. in Mildb.) Manuel, Thuidium chenagonii C. Muell. ex Ren. & Card., Entondon geminidens (Besch.) Par., Pylaisiobryum abyssinicum (C. Muell.) Wijk & Marg., Hypnum cupressi- forme Hedw., Campylopus hensii Ren. & Card. and Mittenothamnium elegantu- lum (C. Muell.) Card. All except the last two species are from the Nigerian high- lands. Based on sporophyte variations, three subgenera-Astomum, Weissia and Hymenos- tomum-have been recognized in the genus Weissia. The few African species of subgenus Astomum have been revised (Crundwell & Nyholm 1974) but the other two subgenera have not. This probably is due to limited reports of their occurrence. Weissia controversa Hedw. is widely distributed in parts of North and South America, Europe and Asia. In Africa, the only records of this moss are from east Africa (Bizot et al. 1978), South Africa (Schelpe 1979) and from the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa (Bizot 1969). It has not been previously reported from Nigeria. Weissia is a taxonomically interesting group, mainly due to its variable nature resulting from hybridization. For instance, Khanna (1960) showed from cytological studies that W. exserta is a transitional form between W. viridula (= W. controversa) and W. crispa. As reported by him, some material of W. controversa collected from the Palni Hills of India had no peristome whereas the material from Mussorie, also in India, showed well-developed peristomes with various numbers of teeth. The gatherings of W. controversa from Nigeria have been examined for range of variations and comments are made on its presently known distribution. Seven other moss species new to Nigeria are reported. All collection numbers are With the exception of 354, all gatherings have sporophytes. Leaves 2.0-2.5 mm long and 0.3-5.0 mm wide have margins characteristically strongly involute with the isodia- metric cells of upper part of lamina 7-10 gm wide and the lower hyaline cells being 40- 75 x 7-15 tm. The costa is 45-70 tm wide. Capsules are ca. 1.0 x 0.5 mm, operculum 0.8 mm long, spores 15-21 ttm and setae 3-5 mm. These measurements are within the morphological range of the species described from localities outside Africa (e.g. see Khan- na 1960; Crundwell 1971). In all gatherings, the capsules are gymnostomous. That all

Eight Mosses New to Nigeria

Eight mosses are reported from Nigeria for the first time. These are Weissia controversa Hedw., Schoenobryum robustum (Broth. in Mildb.) Manuel, Thuidium chenagonii C. Muell. ex Ren. & Card., Entondon geminidens (Besch.) Par., Pylaisiobryum abyssinicum (C. Muell.) Wijk & Marg., Hypnum cupressi- forme Hedw., Campylopus hensii Ren. & Card. and Mittenothamnium elegantu- lum (C. Muell.) Card. All except the last two species are from the Nigerian high- lands. Based on sporophyte variations, three subgenera-Astomum, Weissia and Hymenos- tomum-have been recognized in the genus Weissia. The few African species of subgenus Astomum have been revised (Crundwell & Nyholm 1974) but the other two subgenera have not. This probably is due to limited reports of their occurrence. Weissia controversa Hedw. is widely distributed in parts of North and South America, Europe and Asia. In Africa, the only records of this moss are from east Africa (Bizot et al. 1978), South Africa (Schelpe 1979) and from the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa (Bizot 1969). It has not been previously reported from Nigeria. Weissia is a taxonomically interesting group, mainly due to its variable nature resulting from hybridization. For instance, Khanna (1960) showed from cytological studies that W. exserta is a transitional form between W. viridula (= W. controversa) and W. crispa. As reported by him, some material of W. controversa collected from the Palni Hills of India had no peristome whereas the material from Mussorie, also in India, showed well-developed peristomes with various numbers of teeth. The gatherings of W. controversa from Nigeria have been examined for range of variations and comments are made on its presently known distribution. Seven other moss species new to Nigeria are reported. All collection numbers are With the exception of 354, all gatherings have sporophytes. Leaves 2.0-2.5 mm long and 0.3-5.0 mm wide have margins characteristically strongly involute with the isodia- metric cells of upper part of lamina 7-10 gm wide and the lower hyaline cells being 40- 75 x 7-15 tm. The costa is 45-70 tm wide. Capsules are ca. 1.0 x 0.5 mm, operculum 0.8 mm long, spores 15-21 ttm and setae 3-5 mm. These measurements are within the morphological range of the species described from localities outside Africa (e.g. see Khan- na 1960; Crundwell 1971). In all gatherings, the capsules are gymnostomous. That all

Sporocyte Development in the Musci. I. Three Genera of the Pottiaceae

Sporogenes is in three members of the Pottiaceae: Weissia controversa Hedw., Acaulon muticum var. rufescens (Jaeg.) Crum, and Astomum muhlenberqianum (Sw.) Grout was studied using light, transmission and scanning electron microscopy with particular emphasis on the formation of the wall layers. McClymont and Larson, in a study of the mature spores of nine mosses representing seven families, found them to have walls of four layers. In this investigation four wall layers were observed in all genera studied. They are opaque layer, exine, perine and intine.The opaque layer begins to form while the spores are still contained within the sporocyte wall. Fig. 1 of Weissia exhibits a series of thin, trailing membranous projections which will later coalesce and flatten against the spore boundary. The opaque layer appears first on the distal surface of the spore.

The Special Moss Exhibition Displayed at the National Science Museum, Tokyo, 1971

The Special Moss Exhibition Displayed at the National Science Museum, Tokyo, 1971

Chromosome Studies of Ten Species of Mosses from Iowa

The chromosome number of Bryum criberrimum (n = 10) is reported for the first time and Barbula unguiculata (n = 14 + 2m) is the first North American report. Dicranum sabuletorum (n = 12), Leskea gracilescens (n = 11), and L. obscura (n = 11) are reported for the second time. Corroborative counts are given for Weissia controversa (n = 13), Grimmia apocarpa (n = 14), and Mnium cuspidatum (n = 12). Counts for Amblystegium juratzkanum (n = 20) and Atrichum angustatum (n = 8) differ from most other reports for these species. There have been few chromosome studies of mosses in the midwestern United States, and the Great Plains region has up to now been completely ignored. Because of its rather well studied moss flora (Conard, 1956), Iowa is a convenient midwestern state in which to initiate such studies. This paper reports on ten species collected in central and south central Iowa. MATERIALS AND METHODS Collections were made during the summer of 1966, the fall and winter of 1967, and the spring of 1968. Sporophytes approximately at meiosis were fixed immediately; gametophytes bearing immature sporophytes were allowed to develop further in plastic boxes containing vermiculite, maintained in a growth chamber at 180C, with a 13-hour photoperiod of 600 foot-candles illumination. After comparing Farmer's fluid and Newcomer's solution, we concluded that the latter fixative was entirely satisfactory. Capsules were fixed in Newcomer's solution for several hours, which cleared the walls, allowing inspection of the internal condition of a large number of capsules. When sporogenous tissue within the capsule had a certain white opacity when viewed by transmitted light, meiotic stages could usually be found. Such capsules were then removed and dissected in a drop of 45% acetic acid, which softened and prepared them for staining in saturated aceto-orcein in 45% acetic acid. Repeated squashing and staining was often necessary to achieve the proper stain intensity. Slides were placed on a warming plate at 600C to hasten staining. Once the desired intensity was reached, the saturated aceto-orcein was replaced with a solution of saturated aceto-orcein diluted by an equal amount of 45% acetic acid. The slides were then ringed with rubber cement and could be kept in good condition under refrigeration for up to four weeks. To make slides permanent, we simply removed the cover glass, gently washed the material on both cover glass and slide in 70% alcohol followed by absolute alcohol, then mounted in Diaphane. Voucher specimens were deposited in herbaria at Iowa State University, University of 1 This work was begun in the summer of 1966 at Iowa State University while the first author was on a College Teacher Research Participation project and continued in 1967-68 during an Academic Year Extension grant. Grateful acknowledgement is made to the National Science Foundation for its support in these programs. We thank Dr. A. J. Sharp for checking our identifications of specimens. 2 Life Sciences Division, Grays Harbor College, Aberdeen, Washington 98520. S Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50010. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.90 on Thu, 15 Sep 2016 04:02:38 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1968] MESSMER AND LERSTEN: CHROMOSOME STUDIES OF MOSSES FROM IOWA 349

The Status of the Moss Genus Rechingerella

The genus Rechingerella J. Frihl., based on the single species R. macedonica, is considered to represent Weissia controversa Hedw. with infected archegonia. Rechingerella macedonica was described by Josef Frolich in 1963 on the basis of a collection made by Rechinger in northern Greece. The description and illustrations indicate a pottiaceous moss of a most unusual structure. On the basis of a portion of the type specimen which FrSlich kindly loaned, I have concluded that the of Rechingerella are diseased archegonia. The original description characterizes Rechingerella as having a Weissia-type gametophyte bearing small cleistocarpous sporophytes, one to many in a perichaetium. Setae and calyptrae are lacking, and the sporophytes are divided into a lower thecaeform part and an upper operculiform part. The spores are elliptical with longitudinal elevated lines on the surface. From examination of the type specimen of RechingereUlla I find the following notable features: The gametophytes are in all essential characters like those of Weissia, being perhaps slightly enlarged or somewhat less tightly crisped when dry than is typical. In a few specimens, highly modified and stunted perichaetial leaves are present but these conform to no obvious pattern. The supposed sporophytes are very common among the numerous plants in the specimen and no other type of is present. The are very dark in color, in general aspect like a stroma. In details of structure the sporophyte gives every indication of being archegonial in origin. On the apex, the neck of the archegonium is often found still attached. The entire structure including the lower more swollen part and the equally long if not longer, slender upper partis filled with spores. The fragile constriction between the two parts strongly resembles the point where typical calyptrae are separated from the basal portion of the archegonial tissue in other mosses. In cross section there is no differentiation of tissue, no evidence of a separate wall inside, and no columella. The spores contained in the archegonia are not comparable to any known moss spores. They are unusual in a number of features including the distinctive parallel surface ridges. They show no indication of being borne in tetrads, but rather seem to be in rows or perhaps in a branching structure. In the more immature material the spores are more elongate and are imbedded in a matrix that is drawn out in places into narrow strands. Adjacent to some young spores are small cells that seem to represent aborted cells at the ends of filaments. 1Smithsonian Institution, U.S. National Museum, Washington, D.C. 20560. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.123 on Mon, 18 Jul 2016 05:09:05 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1966] ROBINSON: RECHINGERELLA 113 The mature spores were observed being ejected from a capsule mounted in water. This ejection might have been the result of swelling of the matrix material. It is my feeling that Rechingerella is not a normal moss plant but is parasitised by a fungus or some other type of organism. The parasite, whatever its nature, attacks the entire moss colony and simulates development within the archegonium. This phenomenon is known in the case of a fungus growing in the gametophytes of the moss genus Climacium, but hyphae have not been detected in the gametophyte of Rechingerella. Furthermore, because of the lack of evident hyphae, the mycologists to whom I have submitted the material do not consider it a fungus. Nematodes and other animals are known to infest mosses, and perhaps some such organism is involved here. Although the anomolous structures of Rechingerella could not be identified as any specific type of infectious organism, I am convinced that the spores involved are not bryophyte spores and that the structures in which they are borne are not moss sporophytes. I believe the gametophytes involved should be considered Weissia controversa Hedw.