Mosses and Lichens 



Spores. Mature in winter. 

 Distribution. Universal. 



R. lanugino- 

 sum. Veil. 



THE TORN-VEIL MOSSES 



Genus RACOMITRIUM, Brid. 



The species of the Genus Racomitrium are usually of large 

 size, with stems branching in pairs, the branches simple and all 



reaching the same height, 

 or unequal, in lateral clus- 

 ters. They are widely and 

 loosely tufted on rocks in 

 mountainous regions. 

 Many of the species resem- 

 ble the Hypnum mosses on 

 account of their long pros- 

 trate stems, their numerous short 

 branches, and their apparently lateral 

 spore-cases. 



The name is from the 

 Greek pa/co?, a shred, and 

 furpi'ov, a veil, referring to 

 the torn base of the veil. 



The leaves are not tufted 

 at the top of the stems but 



are close, nearly equal, long, lance-shaped, concave 

 and channelled, with an apex blunt or ending in a fine 

 point or hair; the margin is recurved; 

 the cells are usually obscure, rounded 

 or four-sided in the upper part, and 

 long and narrow in the lower part. 



The spore-cases are oblong cylin- 

 drical, narrowed at the orifice and 

 usually erect on erect pedicels. The 

 lids are small and more or less beaked v * rticalse f ion 



o f penstome 



and the peristome consists of a single with two ceils 

 row of sixteen long teeth cleft two or f t ^ a h nnulu * 



Portion ot pens- at the base ot 



tome. three times to below the middle, or one tooth. 



divided into two thread-like, knotty, nearly equal segments, 



1 80 



Racomitrium lanuginosum. 



