185 



NEW BRITISH SPHAGNA. 

 Br J. A. Wheldon. 



Sphagnum rubellum Wils. var. sordidum Warnst. seems to 

 have a decidedly northern range in Britain. In addition to the 

 ordinary form, two rather striking variations with well-marked faeies 

 occur. The first, forma immersa Warnst. (Sphagn. Universalis, 

 1911, p. 77), is a tall more or less remotely fascicled plant, almost 

 approaching states of S.fuscum in its general colour, but with a dull 

 reddish or purplish tinge in the capitulum or upper branches. It 

 occurs in deep wet bogs in the following localities: — Killimster 

 Moss, The Flow of Leannas, and near Ramscraig, Caithness (D. Lillie) ; 

 Lamancha Moss, Peebles (J. Archer) ; Meathop Moss, Westmor- 

 land (W. West) ; Moor, above Ravenscroft, N. Yorkshire (Ingham). 

 The second form referred to is much smaller, very compact, and rigid, 

 and forms small very dense cushions in exposed alpine or boreal 

 localities. It may be described as follows : — Forma hensum mihi. 

 Planta pusilla 3-8 cm. alta, eajspitibus densis. Ramorum fasciculi 

 densissiini, rami patuli breves imbricate foliosi. 



It has been sent to me from the following localities : — Stromness, 

 Orkney (Grant) ; Strati ey and Hope Bridge, W. Sutherland (Lillie) ; 

 Camster, Caithness (Lillie) ; Cairngorm at 3500 ft., East Inverness 

 (Wilson § Wheldon). 



Sphagnum plumulosum Roll. var. ochraceum Wft. occurs fre- 

 quently in the north of England, and more rarely elsewhere, in a 

 very robust orthoclade form, which does not appear to have been 

 described. It may be distinguished from other robust forms of the 

 variety, such as f. Schillerianum and f. immersum, as follows : — 



Forma orthocladum mihi. Ca?spites densi ad 15 cm. profundi. 

 Planta robusta. superne pallide sordido-violascens vel dilute fuscescens, 

 capitula tantum ochracea. Ramorum fasciculi cumulati et rami patuli 

 ascendentes. 



White Force, Wheeldale. and Scarth Nick, North Yorkshire 

 (Ingham); Eskdale, Cumberland (Wilson Sf Wheldon); Hartfield, 

 Sussex (E. S. Salmon) ; Dartmoor, Devon (If. J. Wheldon) ; 

 Prill Dingle, Herefordshire (Armitage) ; Slieve Donard, Co. Down 

 (Lett). 



One feels some hesitation in describing as a new variety a Sphag- 

 num which has only been found in a single locality. But in this 

 genus we are dealing with a disappearing section of our Flora, and 

 the process of extirpation looks like being speeded up in the near 

 future : there is no known habitat in which, for instance, so fine a 

 plant as S. riparium may now be found. It seems desirable therefore 

 to place on record, if only as of historical interest, such plants as the 

 next three to be described. 



Sphagnum obestm Wils. var. deyontense Sherrin & Wheldon. 



Planta submersa, saepius divisa 5-12 cm. longa, viridis sursum sub- 



violascens. Fasciculi ramorum remoti et plerumque ramis patulis 



3-4 ; rami patuli crassi, laxe foliosi. Folia ramorum (3-1 mm 



Journal of Box int. — Xol. 59. [July, 1921.] o 



