460 A. HESSELBO 



84. Grimmia patens (Dicks.) Br. eur. 

 Dnjplodun patens Brid., Limpr. 



E. Iceland: Hornafjordur!. W. Iceland: Budahraun iH. J.)!; Hafnar- 

 Jjordur !. 



In Budahraun it was growing in the clefts in the lava-field; near 

 Hafnarfjordur it was found in abundance associated with Orthotrichiim 

 rnpcslre and O. Stiirinii on the face of a dolerite rock with a nor- 

 thern exposure. 



80. Grimmia funalis (Schwgr.) Sch. 



Widely distributed over the whole of Iceland. 



G. funalis is by far the most frequent species of this genus. It 

 grows everywherc on dry rocks, especially on the vertical sides of ra- 

 vines and lava-clefts, where it forms immense cushions, often 5— 6 cm. 

 deep, which very easily break up into pieces whcn loosened from the 

 substratum. The fruit, which occurs rather frequentl}', was not ripe 

 even in August. This species is most frequent up to about 300—400 

 melres above sea-level, but often ascends, however, to somewhat above 

 500 metres, for instance near Akureyri. 



8(x Grimmia torquata Hornsch. 



E. Iceland: Hornafjårdur!, very common; Seydisfjordur !. \. Ice- 

 land: near Hrutafjordur (H. J.)!. NW. Iceland: Dynjandi!; Grunnavik!; 

 Arngerdareyri!. W. Iceland: Melar (Grl.)!; Hafnarfjordur (Grl. ;!); Buda- 

 hraun (H. J.)!. Very common in SW. Iceland!. 



This species in very common in SE., S. and SW. Iceland, rather 

 rare in N. and XW. Iceland. It grows on dry rock-faces in ravines 

 and lava-clefts, but only sterile specimens have been found. 



Note. Grimmia pnlvinala is enumeratcd in several older lists, but 

 these rccords arc probably due to a confusion with other species. 



87. Rhacomitrium sudeticum (Funck) Br. eur. 

 Grimmia microcar})a (Gmel. Lindb. 



Common over the whole of Iceland. 



In many parts of Iceland R. sndclicum is one of the most frequent 

 species, being found from the sea-level up to the gravelly Hats of 

 mountain heights. It is most widely distributed in NW. Iceland and 

 along several fjords in E. Iceland, for instance Seydisfjordur while it 

 appears to occur less abundantly in N. Iceland. It grows on rather dry 

 rocks and blocks of lava, in clefts, and on wet stones in and by streams. 

 In mountain heights, especially in NW. Iceland, it forms the bulk of the 

 vegetation on gravelly tlats from about 300 metres ujiwards. 



It varies considerably in size, habit, colour and length of hair 

 point. On wet rocks it becomes very large, and almost black, with 

 very short hair point, while the forms growing on dry rocks are as a 

 rule very low in growth and slender, often occurring in small round, 

 compact tufts, blackish green or brownish red in colour, with longer 



