X. 



LIST OF MOSSES COLLECTED IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF 



HERTFORD. 



By Hugh D.oiton. 



Communicated, with an Introduction, by James Saunders. 



Read at Watford, 2\st April, 1896. 



The following list of mosses collected by Mr. Hugh Darton, of 

 Beninghoe, Hertford, forms an interesting addition to our know- 

 ledge of the distribution of these plants in Hertfordshire. It 

 shows careful work, especially amongst the minute forms, such 

 as Pottia and SphcBrangium, and also the difficult genus Barhula. 

 It contains about twenty species additional to those enumerated 

 in the list furnished to the Society by Mr, A. E. Gibbs, which 

 appeared in Vol. Ill, Part 2 (1884), of its 'Transactions.' These 

 additions are indicated by an asterisk. 



All the specimens on which records are founded have passed 

 through the hands of the writer, and any critical species have 

 been submitted to specialists for an authoritative opinion. 



It would appear from an examination of all the lists of Herts 

 mosses known to myself, that the SplmgnacecE. are rare in the 

 county. Sphagmim suhsecundum, S. contortum, and S. cymhifolium 

 seem to exhaust the list. Mr. Darton writes that the first is still 

 to be found on Hertford Heath, whence Coleman recorded it. It 

 is desirable to obtain confirmations of Webb and Coleman's records 

 for S. sqtinrrosum and S. acutifoliuni. As both of these occur in 

 Beds and Bucks, it is highly probable that they also grow in 

 Herts. Those interested in the cryptogamic flora would, no doubt, 

 be amply rewarded by searching for them. Some ten years ago 

 the scrub of Bricket Wood was rich in forms of S. stcbsecmidum, 

 but in a recent visit to the spot it was noticed that the bog-mosses 

 were fast disappearing. Those members of the Society who reside 

 near Berry Grove Wood and Little Berkhamsted would find these 

 localities worthy of careful investigation for the Sphagnacece. 



The records sent by Mr, Darton are all for the Lea division of 

 the county. The actual specimens are in his possession, and he 

 will gladly show them to anyone interested in these plants, 



ACEOCAEPI, 



Weissia viridida, Brid. — Bank by road to Reformatory, Bengeo, 

 April, '94 (fertile). Bank by footpath between Foxleys Wood and 

 Stapleford Church, April, '94 (fertile). Bank by Hertingfordbury 

 Road, March, '92 (fertile). Bank between Stapleford and Waterford, 

 March, '92 (fertile). Bank by Sacombe Road, March, '92 (fertile). 



/r. cirrhata, Hedw. — Palings skirting Bayfordbury Park, by 

 Bayford Road, 1.H88 (fertile). Tree trunk near Baas Hill, Brox- 

 boarne, April, '92 (fertile). Palings by footpath between North 



