Ill 



SPHAGNUM MOLLE. 



Dr. R. Braithwaite Las recently described, and figured in the 

 11 Monthly Microscopical Journal" this species as an addition to the 

 British Flora, and to this communication we must refer for the full 

 synonymy and bibliography of the species. 



Sphagnum molle. Sullirant.— Monoicous ; in very soft densely 

 cushioned tufts ; whitish-green above, pale brownish below. Stem 

 pale-green, slender, 2-5 in. high, usually divided, with 2-3 layers of 

 non-porose cortical cells. Branches densely crowded, 2-3 in a 

 fascicle, nearly alike, erecto-patent, the porose cortical cells elon- 

 gated, with the apices somewhat recurved. Cauline leaves very 

 large, closely set, minutely auricled, ovato-spatulate, patent and 

 deflexed, the hyaline cells almost free from fibres ; apex with three 

 teeth and a few minute ones at sides ; margin involute, very nar- 

 rowly bordered. Ramuline leaves oblong ovate, concave, convo- 

 lute above, very narrowly margined, the apex truncate and with 5 

 or 6 irregular teeth ; hyaline cells angulato-fusiform, very 

 prominent and confluent at the back, with annular and spiral fibres, 

 and a few large pores ; chlorophyll cells slender, triangular, pro- 

 jecting between the hyaline at the concave surface of the leaf. 



Male amentula short, thick, violaceous, placed in the coma, the 

 bracts oblong, obtuse. Capsules in the capitulum or upper fascicles, 

 perichastiuni not separating, upper bracts broadly oblong-ovate, con- 

 volute with 2-3 teeth at apex, cells below elongate hexagono- 

 rhomboid, above normal, free from fibres or pores. Spores 

 ochraceous. 



Var. /3. Mulleri.— Ramuli 3-4 in a fascicle, 1-2 patulous, the 

 rest longer, slender, and pendent. Stem leaves more elongated, 

 the hyaline cells with fibres and pores ; perichastial bracts lan- 

 ceolate, acuminate at apex, with a broad margin, wider toward 

 apex, cells of upper part with fibres and pores. 



Hah. — By moorland streams, forming dense hassocks. Fr. 

 August. 



The typical form is American, and the variety (3 only is found 

 in Europe. In Britain, Darnholme, near Whitby, Yorks (Ander- 

 son, 1853, Crouch, 1871). Ben Lawers (Mac Kinlay), Brickhill 

 Heath, Bucks (Rev. J. F. Crouch). 



Fuller particulars, with plate xl., will be found in the " Monthly 

 Microscopical Journal," vol. x. for November, 1873. 



CRYPTOGAMIC LITERATURE. 



HusNOT, T. Flora analytique et descriptive des Mousses du 

 Nord-Ouest (environs de Paris, Normandie, Bretagne, Anjou, &c). 

 Paris, F. Savy, 1873. 



