74 The Irish Naturalist. May, 



interest. In this way we have collected 8i species, varieties, 

 and forms of Mosses, some of which are very rare. Hypnum 

 cupressiforme var. minus Wils. is an addition to the Irish 

 flora. Eleven (marked *) are new to Co. Wicklow, accord- 

 ing to the list of the Mosses of Ireland, b}^ Canon Lett, 1915. 

 Other species although previously recorded from Wicklow 

 have not been found there for many years. I may instance 

 Wehera cruda and W. albicans. Both were found at Lough 

 Bray more than half a century ago ; it is interesting to 

 have verified such old county records. 



In our work of collecting we found some of the mosses 

 very attractive ; Hypnum cupressiforme var. iectorum grew 

 both on rocks and on the trunks of trees, in dense velvety 

 cushions of a dark olive-green colour, and the moist bank 

 of a drain was covered with the bladder-moss Physcomilrium 

 pyriforme, the dark red fruit-stalks contrasting with the 

 green foliage. In the stream the water-moss Fontinalis 

 anhpyretica flourished, and growing with it a form of 

 Eurhynchium rusciforme attached to stones. I have not 

 previously found this plant affecting a purely aquatic habit. 

 On wet rocks we gathered Milde's var. fallax of Heterocladium 

 Jieteropterum, very distinct-looking and much restricted in 

 its distribution in Ireland. On peaty banks Tetraphis 

 pellucida flourished, bearing gemmiferous cups and also 

 fruit ; from copious material we were able to examine the 

 curious frondiform protonema (Plate I fig. i) microphoto- 

 graphed by Mr. Gunn ; on account of its fugacious habit 

 it is rarely seen. 



On the branches of Alder and Oak Ulota crispa var. 

 intermedia was plentiful, a rare plant in this part of Ireland. 

 Orthotrichum Lyellii presents a good example of the asexual 

 mode of reproduction in these curious plants ; in the micro - 

 photograph by Mr. Gunn (Plate I lig. 2a), it will be observed 

 that the leaves are furnished with reddish-brown genmiae. 

 Of others belonging to this group which bear similar gemmae 

 \^'e may mention Ulota phyllantha, which though widely 

 Oi^^tributed in this country has only once been found in fruit ; 

 ;n this, the upper portion of the leaves, notably the tips 

 (jf the younger ones, bear copious brown gemmae, which 

 arc a help in the identification of the plant ; it has oiily 



