Russow, in 1865, g a v e us his Beiträge zu r Kenntniss der
Torfmoose, containing some excellent observations on their histology
and notes on the various species and varieties, which display
an intimate practical acquaintance with these plants. H e insi^sts
on the inconstancy o f the monoicous or dioicous character o f the
inflorescence, and hence reduces the number o f species
S C H L I E P H A C K E , in Verhandl. Zool. Bot. Gesells. Wien, vol. x v.
p ^83 (1865), has also a good paper on the subject, Beiträge zu r
Kenntniss der Sphagna, with clear and valuable notes on distinction
o f species, and their variations. , „ , •
M P iré , in B u ll, de la Soc. royale de Bot. de Belgique, t. vi.
n 3 (1868),’ gives a short paper. Les Sphaîgnes de la Flore de
Belgique, in which the result o f his investigation o f the Belgian
species is recorded, accompanied b y a ve ry beautiful plate illustrating
the structure o f their leaves. _ . c- , -r,
K l i n g g r Í f f has an article on the Prussian species, in Schriften
der Kön. Physikalisch-OEkon. Gesells. zu Königsberg,^ vol. xm. p. i
(1872) in which several generally accepted varieties are raised
to the rank of species, as he acts on the opposite view to
that advocated b y Russow, and insists on A e stability o f the
characters founded on the monoicous or dioicous position ot the
inflorescence. •
M. E . R oze, in B u ll, de la Soc. Botan, de France, xix. p. 91
(1872) gives an elaborate paper. D e la Fécondation chez les CrypR-
games supérieures, et en particulier chez les Sphaignes, in which
he dissents from the opinion o f Hofmeister that the canal in the
neck of the archegonium is formed b y dissolution of the central
string of cells, and states that it pre-exists as a cavity in common
with that of the body o f the archegonium. Further observations
are also given, detailing the actual mode o f contact between the
antherozoids and the germinative cell o f the archegone.
D ed e c e k , in Verhandl. der k. k. Zool. Bot. Gesells. Wien,
vol. x xvi. p. 601 (1876), has an article. D ie böhmischen Sphagna
und ihre Gesellschafter, giving a list o f the species, but principally
interesting in enumerating all the mosses and Hepaticce which are
found growing associated with the Sphagna.
T h e above named are all the more important works or papers
bearing on the subject, but numerous other articles or descriptions
of species find a place in general works on mosses, or in the
periodical literature of the day ; these will be found quoted m the
synonymy o f each species, and all have been consulted as far as
possible.
Various Exsiccata have also been published, in which the
Sphagna are more or less completely represented, but the specimens
are not in all cases correctly n am ed ; my Sphagnacece
Britannicce Fxsiccatce will, I hope, remedy this, so far as the
British species are concerned, as well as more effectually illustrate
the forms described in the present work, though in this also a few
errors have been detected, which will be corrected under each
species described in the monograph.
A work to comprise all the Belgian forms— Sphagnotheca
Belgica, b y M. Gra ve t— is now in course o f publication, but I
have not had the opportunity o f consulting i t ; neither have
I been able to inspect the various continental herbaria, and thus
place on record a more complete list o f foreign localities ; I have,
however, made full use o f the valuable papers published by
Professor Lindberg, and gathered together stray notes met with
in journals, in order as far as possible to extend our knowledge
o f the distribution o f these plants.