172 AxXNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



red, slightly radiculose ; stems very slender, pale, from i to 

 2 inches long, simple or dichotomously branched ; leaves 

 rather closely arranged around the stem, incurved when dry, 

 spreading somewhat but straight when wet, concave through- 

 out in front, clasping at base, narrow, slightly expanded and 

 oblong at the point of attachment, then lanceolate and taper- 

 ing to a narrow point on nerve, rarely slightly convex there, 

 nerve pale, slender, smooth, and projecting behind ; latit. 

 near base, .04-.06 mm., tapering upwards, the acumen or 

 extruded portion very long, one-eighth or one-fourth the 

 length of leaf proper, flat, breadth at its junction below with 

 nerve about .045 mm., tapering to an acute point, length 

 from. 1 5-. 34 mm., containing the detached narrow cells in 

 a clear homogeneous matrix as already described ; margin 

 of leaf slightly undulated, finely crenulated, plane, but very 

 generally inflexed on both sides in the upper third to the 

 extent of .0 1 3 mm., while the nerve and acumen remain in a 

 straight line ; cells at central base attached, long, narrow, 

 hyaline, .06-.08 by .006-8 mm., nearer or at margin, of still 

 narrower cells as well as a little longer, all ending gradually 

 and transversely into the upper dense, close, quadrate cells, 

 at first .007-9 mm., nearer apex .005-8 mm., minutely 

 papillose, but here and there papillae scarcely perceptible. 

 Only archegonia with very few paraphyses have been seen at 

 the apices of stems, with the inner perichsetal leaves much 

 shorter and a little broader. On earth in a wood behind 

 Onich, plentiful. 



The next is quite unlike the preceding in general appear- 

 ance, and there is, besides, a wide divergence in the minute 

 organisation of the leaves, which, however, in general contour 

 show a rather strong resemblance to one another. 



Mollia conspersa. — In large laxly aggregated tufts or 

 groups, of a dingy or dusky green colour above, rufous or 

 rusty-red below^ slightly radiculose ; leaves laxly disposed 

 around the stem, almost interruptedly so, with detached 

 rosettes of large leaves at intervals, and minute, rather acute 

 leaves between, incurved when dry, widely spreading, almost 

 reflexed when moist, oblongo -lanceolate, from a rather 

 wider, pale or hyaline, somewhat clasping base, acutely 

 acuminated above, pagina of either side ceasing at an acutish 



