l6o THE FLORA OF HALIFAX. 



1888. On the moors, but few records ; Rish worth Valley. 

 Lees' Fl. 



Polytrichum strictum, Banks (P. alpestre, Hopp.) 



Todmorden. — /. Novell, Brit. Moss Fl. 



Although Braithwaite gives P. strictum specific rank he 

 confesses " to be more in accord with the authors who 

 regard it as a variety of P. juniper inum, for it will be seen 

 there are no structural differences between them." 

 Dixon places strictum as a subspecies of P. jnniperinnm, and 

 remarks as follows : " The characters which separate 

 them, though chiefly comparative and insufficient to 

 justify giving it specific rank, are fairly stable, and it 

 seems to fill its right place as a sub-species." 



Polytrichum gracile, Dicks. 



Langfield Moor.— Herb. Nwl. 



1845. Stansfield Moor. — Herb. Leyl. 



1854. Stansfield Moor, rare. — /. Nowell, Supp. 



1888. Langfield Moor. — A. Stansfield; Hebden Bridge. — 

 C. P. Hobkirk ; Lees' Fl. 



Reaps Water Valley, Heptonstall.— W. B. Crump! 



Polytrichum formosum, Hedw. 



Woods, Hebden Valley (in fine fruit). — Herb. Nwl. 

 1845. High Greenwood. — Herb. Leyland. 

 1854. Sandy banks and old shady walls in woods. High 

 Greenwood plentifully. — J. Nowell ; Supp. 

 Several places about Hardcastle Crags. — /. Needham. 

 Northdean Wood ! Barren in both localities. 



Possibly barren forms of this species have often been taken 

 for P. commune. When seen in fruit, it is quite easy to 

 distinguish between the two, but, unfortunately neither of 

 them fruits freely in this district at present. The 4- 

 angled, pale red-brown capsule of P. commune is markedly 

 different from that of P. formosum, which is 5-6 angled, 

 and fawn colour when ripe. In barren plants, a trans- 

 verse section through the middle of a fully developed leaf 

 will clear away any doubt as to which of the two species 

 is being dealt with ; in P. commune the marginal cells of 

 the lamellae are bifid, while those of P. formosum are entire. 



