42 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



to several botanists. I scarcely see the justice of substitut- 

 ing for it the more recent name, Tr. litorale (Mitt.). 



Another moss in this section was found for the first 

 time, viz. Tr. nitiduin (Lindb.). I can recognise the claims 

 of this moss to specific distinction. 



Another feature of the moss-flora of this region was the 

 prevalence and luxuriance of Dicranum Scottianuin. This 

 moss usurps the place of D. fuscescens, which can scarcely 

 be said to have secured a hold here. Closely associated 

 with it, the tufts often growing in apposition, or, at times, 

 intermingled, was detected another Dicranum. Amid the 

 general resemblance of the two mosses, the latter was usually 

 distinguished by its larger, more luxuriant habit of growth. 

 In 1869 I detected a few stems of this Dicranum, and, in 

 1874, published a description of it under the name D. 

 Fergusoni. It belongs to the same section as D. congestum, 

 inasmuch as the leaves have cylindrical connecting tubes 

 or pores. The following is a somewhat more detailed 

 description : 



Dicranum Fergusoni forms large, rather lax tufts, 2 to 4 

 inches in diameter, and from I to 3 inches in height. 

 Stems stout, sparsely dichotomous, rufo-radiculose ; leaves 

 erecto-patent or subsecund, rather glossy, slightly crisped 

 when dry much as in D. Scottianum, slightly serrated on 

 the margin near the apex or entire, lanceolate-subulate, 

 margins incurved above ; nerve stout, thick, projecting 

 behind, -i- to ^ the breadth of leaf a little above the base, or, 

 at times, a little broader, smooth behind, or only slightly 

 nodulose near apex, slightly excurrent ; cells near base long 

 and narrow, .04 to .07 by .005 to .008 mm.; angular cells 

 large, hexagonal, lax, brown ; upper cells rhomboid, .009 to 

 .016 by .005 to .008 mm. The cylindrical pores are seen 

 in the lower third, more plentifully near the nerve, and are 

 rather longer than usual ; at times they may be detected 

 higher up. These pores are most distinctly seen in leaves 

 of the previous year's growth when the chlorophyll is non- 

 granular or diffused. Barren. 



This moss differs from its congener D. congestum in 

 being much more robust, nerve nearly twice the breadth 

 relative to leaf, the cells at base much narrower than in 



