no ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



CAMPYLOPUS PURPURASCENS, var. KINLAYANUS. The peculiarity 

 of this moss is in the structure of the nerve, where the second and 

 third rows of cells are nearly obliterated, their places being filled 

 by crowds of large sterei'ds. To compensate for this deficiency, the 

 cells of the anterior row are larger than usual, and near the base 

 have a diameter of 0.034 mm., while, in the same relative position, 

 the posterior bulging cells are enlarged to 0.018 mm. The auricles 

 are rather better defined, but their cell-walls are thin, with the 

 usual narrow dash of red next the nerve. The thickness of the 

 nerve near the base is about 0.07 mm. thicker, indeed, than in 

 any other species I have seen. As a consequence, the swelled bases 

 of the leaves are well pronounced, more especially as scattered 

 minute cells, 0.004 to 0.006 mm. diameter, are seen along with the 

 sterei'ds in the same situation. 



Taking the areolation and papillosity of the leaves alone into 

 consideration, it would be difficult to discriminate Barbula fallax, 

 B. rigidula, B. insulana, and B. reflexa from one another. On 

 the whole, the upper cells of B. reflexa are slightly larger. Many- 

 years ago I separated from B. insulana a moss detected near 

 Innellan on the Clyde, in which the upper very minute cells were 

 seen quite distinctly and separately, owing to the almost entire 

 absence of papilla?. This I named B. assimulans. Although I 

 now recede from my former opinion of giving this moss specific 

 distinction, it may still be retained as a variety. 



This year, at Connel Ferry, I detected a moss on the ground 

 near the roadside, which has characters differing from any of the 

 four already mentioned, inasmuch as the papillae are more pronounced 

 as well as larger, and the upper cells have each an area three or 

 four times that of the corresponding cells in the others. 



BARBULA VIRIDESCENS. Laxly tufted, of a bright green colour 

 above, light brown below, i inch or a little more in height ; stems 

 simple or somewhat fastigiately branched ; leaves rather laxly 

 disposed around the stem, widely spreading and straight when 

 moist, incurved and slightly twisted when dry, broadly ovate at 

 base, narrowing rapidly, slightly acuminate above and tapering to 

 an acute point ; length from two to three times greatest breadth, 

 or 1.7 to 2 by 0.66 to 0.8 mm. ; rather narrowly reflexed on margin 

 in lower half or more, plane and entire upwards to apex ; nerve 

 strong, 0.08 to o.i mm., broad near base, tapering, and ceasing 

 just below apex ; strongly papillose on pagina, back of nerve and 

 margin, papilla; from 0.0025 to 0-004 mm - m height; central basal 

 cells few and small, in two or three short perpendicular rows, 

 roundly oblong, 0.017 to 0.022 by 0.008 to o.oii mm., the rest of 

 the cells in basal region much as those above, upper cells round 

 or hexagonal, separate, distinct, and granular, 0.009 to - OI 3 nim., 



