The sporelings of Entodon calycinus Card., an epiphytic moss, belong to the Macromitrium-type, while those of the epipetric E. sullivantii var. versicolor (Besch.) U. Miz. belong to the Bryum-type, common among epipetric species in Bryales. E. conchophyllus Card., a species often separated from Entodon into the monotypic genus Sakuraia, is another epiphytic moss characterized by ovoid capsules and large (27-57μ) spores. The spores of this species often germinate inside of exospores and form massive protonemata. Sporelings of this species belong to the Glyphomitrium-type. Thus, at least three different sporeling types are recognized in the genus Entodon. The sporeling types of this genus are an adaptive character reflecting the habitats and do not show any phylogenetic significance.

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(1) Bryophytes should be very carefully treated in considering the preservation and conservation of ecosystems, as most of them react very sensitively to fluctuations of environmental conditions. (2) The protection of rare bryophytes is an urgent problem, as their natural habitats are being destructed in various places. Leucobryum and Sphagnum are also to be protected, because large quantities have been used for horticultural purposes. (3) High moors, coniferous forests and beech forests are especially important bryophyte habitats but large areas have been destroyed. The remaining areas of these vegetation types should be conserved to protect their rich bryophyte floras.

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(1) In Conocephalum supradecompositum, the thallus forms frequent dichotomous branching in autumn with each terminal dichotomy transformed into a gemma. (2) In C. conicum, each growing point of the thallus usually forms a swollen dormant bud toward winter However, two neighboring growing points are often so closely joined as to form a single compound bud. (3) The gemma of C. supradecompositum is considered to be homologous with the compound winter bud of C. conicum. Indeed, they resemble each other very closely not only in structure but also in their behavior during germination.

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Nine collections of this liverwort including fo. japonica (3), fo. fragilis. (5) and fo. robusta (1) were made in various parts of western Japan. The extracts obtained from them with methanol were analyzed through gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy to determine relative contents of four main sepquiterpenoids: β-pompene, maalioxide, bicyclohumulenone and cyclocolorenone. From the results (Table), an obvious difference of these phenotypes was recognized: 1) Totals of the four compounds were 85-96% of total sesquiterpenoid content for fo. japonica, 56-62% of total for fo. fragilis and 19% of total for fo. robusta. 2) Fo. jaonica contained all four sesquiterpenoids, of which maalioxide was predominant, while the other three were quantitatively comparable to each other in their presence. Fo. fragilis contained three sesquiterpenoids other than cyclocolorenone, of which β-pompene was prodominant, while the relative abundance of maalioxide and bicyclohumulenone decreased in that oder. Finally, fo. robusta lacked bicyclohumulenone and cyclocolorenone and contained about 10% each of β-pompene and maalioxide, although the remaining part consisted of miscellaneous sesquiterpenoids.

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During 1980, a "Moss Kwannon" appeared on a tree-trunk of Ilex rotunda in the garden of Sesonji temple, Oita, southern Japan. The Kwannon is a famous goddess in Buddhism -it is of indeterminate sex in the strict sense but generally regarded as feminine in Japan. The Moss Kwannon is about 1 m tall, well proportioned and gracefully costumed. Many people visit the temple to pray to the goddess for mercy in the belief that she gives them such good fortunes as success in entrance examinations, victory in sports and prosperity in businesses. A devotee once intended to contribute a steel-framed roof for sheltering the goddess from rain. Another poured Sake (Japanese wine) over her body while worshipping. As a bryologist, I recommended to the temple priest that the environmental conditions not be changed - that no roof be constructed, no branch be cut off of the tree, and no incense be burned in praying. This Moss Kwannon was "bryologically" proved to be a large, thin mat of Cololejeunea japonica!

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