450 A. HESSELBO 



50. Distichium montanum (Lam.) Hagen. 

 Distichium capillaceum (Sw.) Br. eur ; Swartzia montana (Lam.) Lindb. 



Very common all over Iceland. 



Distichium montanum is one of the most widely distributed mosses 

 in Iceland. It is found everywhere on almost every kind of substra- 

 tum, with the exception of that which is very wet, from the bottom 

 of the valley up to a height of about 500600 metres above sea-level. 

 At greater altitudes it is more rare, but may nevertheless be met with 

 as far upwards as to the snow-limit, in sheltered localities among stones. 



This species has its main distribution in the more low-lying regions 

 where, either intermixed with other species or in unmixed tufts, it is 

 hardly absent from any cleft or soil-filled rock-crevice, but it also 

 occurs everywhere intermixed in the moss-covering at the bottom of 

 grass-fields, in bogs, on rocks, etc. 



The fruit, which is almost always present, ripens in the latter 

 half of July. 



51. Distichium inclinatum (Ehrh.) Br. eur. 

 Swartzia inclinata Ehrh. 



E. Iceland: Vallanes!. N. Iceland: Near Dettifoss!; Husavik!; Hof 

 near Eyjafjordur (O. D.)!; Oxnadalur!; Vidimyri!. NW. Iceland: Gnups- 

 dalur in Dyrafjordur!. 



It was also collected by Steenstrup, but no habitat is given. 

 Gronlund records this species from Hafnarfjordur, but the specimens 

 in the Botanieal Museum belong to Distichium montanum. 



This plant was only found in the northern half of Iceland, where 

 it occurred in many places from Vallanes in the east to Dyrafjordur in 

 the north-west, and especially 7 in North Iceland proper. It grows as a 

 rule on damp ground, although not very^ abundantly, for instance 

 along streams, associated with Dichodontium, Didymodon rubcllus, Hepa- 

 ticce, etc. Near Vidimyri it was growing along the banks of streams, 

 mixed with Scapania curta, Lophozia Miilleri, Haplozia atrovirens, Di- 

 chodontium and Bryum pattens; near Dettifoss on glacier-sand, in com- 

 pany with Ceratodon purpureus and Aongstropmia longipes and near 

 Husavik on damp sandy soil, with Aongstroemia, Dichodontium and 

 Philonotis tomentelta. In several places it was collected on peaty soil 

 in association with Meesia trichoides, Catoscopium nigritum, Barbula ru- 

 bella, Aongstroemia, Lophozia Wenzelii, etc. 



In North Iceland proper the fruit was almost ripe at the end 

 of July. 



52. Bryoxiphium norvegicum (Brid.) Mitten. 

 Eiistichium norvegicum Br. eur. 



S. Iceland : Krisuvik (Morch)!; Thingvellir (Morch)!; glacier origi- 

 nating from the Jokul (Stp.)!; Kolvidarhol!; Flokastadagil!; Barkarstadr ! ; 

 Drangshlid!. 



This species was only found in the south-western part of the 



