156 On Bog Mosses. 



Monoicous, in soft tufts, pale green, more or less tinged ivith 

 purple. Stems slender, dichotomous, pale externally, cortical cells 

 generally ivithovi pores, in 3-4 strata, the woody zone purple. 

 Fascicles of 3-5 branches, of ivhich 2-3 are divergent, 1-2 pendent, 

 all more or less attenuated at points ; their retort-cells flask-shaped, 

 sub-cylindrical, with the apex perforated and shghtly recurved. 

 Cauline leaves erect, ovate acuminate, concave with the 7nargin in- 

 curved, minutely auricled at hase, 5-toothed at apex ; hyaline cells 

 of the middle base hexagono-rhomboid, divided by one or two oblique 

 partitions, without fibres or pores, the upper also divided, and 

 often shghtly fibrillose, lateral very narrow and forming a broad 

 border, gradually decreasing in width toward apex. Basal ramuline 

 leaves minute, ovate, median ovato-lanceolate, erecto-patent deeply 

 concave, uj^perniost narrowly lanceolate, all toothed at the slightly 

 truncate apex, and with the margin involute in the upper third ; 

 hyaline cells confluent at hack, with a few large pores and annular 

 fibres ; border extremely narrow of two rows of long thin cells ; 

 chlorophyll cells obtusely trigonous, interposed between the hyaline 

 on the concave surface of the leaf 



Male amentula usually purple, clavate acute, the bracts in five 

 rows, ovate, acute. Capsules numerous, usually clustered in the 

 capitulum; peduncle moderately elongated, the bracts numerous, 

 straw-coloured or reddish, lowest broadly ovate, acuminate, concave, 

 melian oblong, narrowed at apex, uppermost elongated, convolute; 

 the hyaline cells narrower and more solid than in the cauline leaves, 

 ■svith 2-3 partitions but no fibres or pores. Spores ferruginous. 



* Varieties more or less tinged with purple. 



/S. dejiexum. Schpr. 



Plants shorter, densely matted, with close set fascicles. Branches 

 flagelliform, all decurved, pink and green, the points whitish. 

 Branch leaves closely imbricated, longer and narrower. 



7. lilacinum. Spruce ms. (roseuni Limpricht). 



Plants robust, loosely tufted, fine rosy red, suffused with violet. 

 Branches erect and divergent, loose. Stem leaves rounded at apex ; 

 branch leaves strongly involute, 4-5 toothed. 



8. purpureum. Schpr. 



In dense cushioned tufts, usually entirely purple ; plants short 

 slender, with a dense capitulum, closely ramulose. Branches short 

 curved, with obtuse leaves. Perichaetial and stem leaves sometimes 

 fibrillose. 



e. tenellum. Schpr. 



Laxly tufted, slender and elongated with distant fascicles, pale 

 green and red. Divergent branches arched, with short obtuse 

 leaves. Stem leaves hngulate, broadly bordered, fringed at the 

 rounded apex. 



** Varieties of a fuscous or pale colour. 



