and particularly of the Genus Mmum. 
259 
of hermaphrodite flowers appears to my judgment the least solid 
of all the Hedwigian distinctions, and leading in no ease to a 
natural, still less a commodious, generic character. With Cynon- 
todium therefore I scruple not to abolish Webera and Voltlia; nor 
should I retain Bartramia, but for its peculiar habit, and an easy 
essential character to be mentioned hereafter. But while 1 thus 
venture to prune this ingenious system, let me indulge in (lie ap- 
plause it deserves for the excellent marks it affords in Teiraphi*, 
Dicranum, Tortula, Polytrichum and Fontinalis, which alone are 
enough to ensure its permanency as long as the study of botany 
endures. 
We come now to the investigation of what makes but too con- 
spicuous a figure in this admirable system, the situation of the 
male and female flowers. I mean not to object to the characters 
deduced from the latter. Experience shows that the female 
flowers being lateral or terminal is of primary if not infallible im- 
portance in this tribe. The most natural genera of Bryum and 
Hypnum, and the no less natural Pterogonium, cannot be defined 
by any other means. In these cases, " genus dat characterem." 
What I regret is, that Hedwig, carrying this principle through 
with the male flowers also, has made the character give the genus, 
and in every case, but perhaps one, erroneously. Thus Fissidens 
is separated from Dicranum, and JVeissia from Grimmia, with 
some reason indeed, as to habit, in some species of each, but 
not in all*; and Barbula is divided from Tor tula against every 
natural principle. It becomes me however to mention tin* one 
case in which I have been almost tempted to admit the character 
of the male flower being axillary instead of terminal to mark a 
genus, which is in Gymnostomum. The habit of Anictangium, the 
original Hedwigia, is so distinct from the other naked-mouthed 
In some species of Fissidens the female flower indeed is lateral. 
2l 2 
mos- 
