/sphagnum.] SPIIAGNACE^. 17 



filiform, and pendent : stem-leaves small, reflexed, enlarged at 

 the base, lingulate, obtuse, nearly entire, the utricles empty; 

 branch-leaves small, ovate-lanceolate, dentate at the truncate 

 apex, the upper lanceolate-subulate and narrowly margined, the 

 utricles fibrillose and porose : perichcetial leaves broadly oblong, 

 obtusely pointed, with empty utricles : male aments short, capi- 

 tate, on pur]>le branchlets: capsules emerging from the tuft, 

 globose. — Sulliv. Icon. Muse. Suppl. 18, t. 9; Braithw. Sphag. 

 75, t. 22 ; Lindb. Sphag. 57. S. pi/cnocladmn, Angstr. 

 Hab. Canada {Macoun, Fowler); ISTew York {Howe, Peck, Austin). 



§ 4. MoLLiA. Plants short, closely cespitose, very soft when 

 moistened, binttle when dry : stem-leaves narrowly mar- 

 gined ; branch-leaves short: ducts near the concave sur- 

 face {except in n. 14), sxd)cuneate xoith the broader side free, 

 or entirely surrounded by the utricles. 



11. S. rigidum, Schimp. Monoecious, densely cespitose, 

 rigid, glaucous-green above, whitish below, the small cortical 

 cells in a double or triple layer ; branches in close fascicles of 3 

 or 4, short, partly deflexed : stem-leaves erect, small, enlarged 

 at the very base, obtuse-ovate or obtusely triangular ; branch- 

 leaves ovate-oblong, dentate at the apex, often contracted in the 

 middle and cucullate above, the utricles fibrillose and with 

 numerous unequal pores ; the perich^tial ovate or oblong- 

 lanceolate, subfalcate, deeply emarginate or bidentatc at the 

 apex, the utricles fibrillose and porose : capsule immersed or 

 short-pedicelled. — Torfm. t. 18; Braithw. Sphag. 56, t. 13. 

 S. compactiim, var. rigidum, Nees & Hornsch. S. strictum^ 

 Sulliv. Muse. Allegh. n. 201. /S". humile, Schimp. ; Sulliv, Icon. 

 Muse. 5, t. 3. 



Var. squarrOSTim, Russ. Pale green; branches spreading 

 horizontally ; leaves loose and squarrose. 



Hab. In bogs, especially southward, from the pine-barrens of Xcw 

 Jersey to Florida; Yosemite Valley, in the spray of the Vernal Falls, 

 and in rivulets at the foot of Mt. Dana (Bolander). The variety near 

 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania {Ran). 



12. S. Muelleri, Schimp. Delicate, pale-green : stems 

 slender, the unequal cortical cells in three layers ; branches in 

 fascicles of 3 or 4, partly arcuate, partly flagelliform and pen- 

 dent : stem-leaves large, oblong or obovate, slightly dentate at 

 the apex, fibrillose and porose like the branch-leaves, which are 



