OF WESTERN* PENNSYLVANIA 339 



<S. Brachythecium rutabulum [ Linn?eus] Bryologia Europaea. 



(Hypnnm rntabuluin Linnaeus). 

 (Plate L) 



Widely and loosely cespitose, yellowish-green, glossy : 

 stems prostrate, creeping, often stoloniferous at the end, the 

 branchlets more or less erect and attenuate ; stem-leaves large, 

 cordate-ovate to more or less deltoid, or narrower and lance- 

 ovate, the wider ones abruptly and rather shortly acuminate, 

 the narrower ones slenderly acuminate, the leaves varying in 

 size up to 2.5x0.7-1.0 mm., decurrent ; the branch-leaves 

 ovate to lance-ovate, about 1.7-2.0x0.6-1.0 mm., concave, de- 

 current, the margin slightly serrulate all around, when dry 

 more or less reflexed at base and the leaves then somewhat 

 plicate ; costa thin, reaching about to the middle ; median leaf- 

 cells acutely rhomboid or linear-rhomboid, usually about 

 10-20:1, the apical somewhat shorter, the basal shorter and 

 wider, incrassate especially in the stem-leaves, the alar similar, 

 except that a few are more enlarged, inflated, and oblong- 

 quadrate, but scarcely forming distinct auricles ; perichsetial 

 leaves up to 2.5 mm. long, slenderly acuminate: seta 2-3 cm. 

 long, rough throughout, drying flattened and twisted, cas- 

 taneous, sinistrorse except sometimes at the very apex ; capsule 

 about 2-3x1 mm., oval-oblong to sub-cylindric, unsymmetric, 

 inclined or more usually nearly horizontal, dorsally gibbous, 

 arcuate, dark-castaneous ; lid conic to conic-arcuminate ; 

 annulus broad, 2-3-seriate ; peristome-teeth slender, castaneous 

 below, the apex hyaline and papillose, basally confluent, the 

 lamellae and trabeculse closely placed, teeth dorsally cross- 

 striolate, margined ; segments slender, about as long as the 

 teeth, yellowish, carinately split; basal membrane about one- 

 half as high as the segments, some of the cilia usually as 

 long as segments, hyaline, nodose, usually 2 or 3 ; spores usual- 

 ly minutely roughened, somewhat incrassate, brownish, about 

 .016-.020 mm., maturing in early winter. 



On earth, stones, rotten wood, bases of trees, etc., in shady 

 woods and thickets: Europe. Asia, northern Africa, and. in 

 North America, from the Arctic regions to Maryland and Mis- 

 souri. Rather common in our region. 



Allegheny : Panther Hollow, Schenley Park, Pitts- 

 burgh. November 25, 1905, Fern Hollow, 

 Pittsburgh, January 21. 1906. O. E. J.; 

 Wild wood Road Hollow, November 19, 

 1908. O. E. I. and G. K. J. (Figured). 



McKean : Bennett Brook, Bradford. October 18, 



1893. D. A. B. 

 Washington : Ilanlin, May 21, 1908. O. E. J. 



