Genus Polytrichum 3, with fome Emendations. 67 
"The /eaves are generally thick, tough, and rigid, growing round 
‘the ftems and branches without order, and preffing clofe or half- 
embracing them by broad, fheathy, membranaccous bafes. 
The peduncles are {mooth, fuiff, thining, ereét, and for the moft 
part arife from the fummits of the ftalks and ‘branches, out of a cy- 
lindrical membranaceous tube or pericheetivin, that ae furround 
the bafe of each. 
The capfules are 2 of various forms, as roundith, quadrangular, 
and oblong; and each has a pointed lid or operculum, with a thin 
tran{verfe central membrane underneath; and when thefe are re- 
moyed_ or fallen. off, the rim of the orifice appears elegantly fringed 
with a regular row.of incurved, minute dents. (either thirty-two 
dents, or aboutidouble: that, aumber),’ which before: neg are 
conneéed: by theimitips to the central membranes i909 be. 
The calypira is double one within: the other; the Axiterior one 
is compofed of {hining woolly hairs, '.clofely matted together, and is 
generally of a conical figure, lacerated i in a loofe manner at the bafe, 
but compat at the top,’ where!itus clofely united to the inner one, 
and is, for the moft part, about double its lengths: the interior one is 
{mall;-fubulate, {mooth,» tough, and membranaceous; but, as the 
capfule fells, it burfts. open on one fide from the bafe upwards for 
half its length or more. 
Charafler effentialis. hittpsost 
A 
 Capf. operculata, fubrotunda, oblonga feu quadrangula. 
Perift. dentatum : dentibus incurvis ( 3364) Set membrana 
» tranfyerfa adglutinatis..9)-— « eal, 9 
Calypt. duplex: interior -evis, membr ances minuta : 3 exterior 
floccefa, apicibus unitis. fA 
Mas difciformis, in diftinéta planta. 
A K 2 SPE C LE S. 
