132 THE MICROSCOPICAL NEWS. 
cushions, forms a conspicuous object on the rocks in mountainous 
districts, and so slightly attached at the roots that it is but seldom 
good herbarium specimens can be procured. Stems czespitose, 3-1 in. 
high, nearly erect, simple, or forked. Leaves crowded, nerveless, 
varying much in form, direction and texture, from an erect base ; 
ovato or oblongo-lanceolate. Areolation dense ; the cells strongly 
and obtusely papillose at back. Capsules small. Male flowers 
on distinct branches with three concave, broadly ovate and pointed 
bracts. Fruiting from June to August. Fig. 40. 
Fig. 40. 
Five varieties of this species are found differing in colour, form, 
and direction of the leaves, but the cell structure exhibits great 
uniformity. The pale colour of the base and neck is also very 
marked in this plant. 
A. alpina, the alpine Andrea, is common with us on mountain 
rocks, but it is utterly unknown on the Continent, with the excep- 
tion of a few stations in Norway. The European species not 
found in Britain are A. papillosa from Spitzbergen and Lapland, 
and A. obovata, A. Hartmanii, and A. Alyttit, all three confined 
to Scandinavia. A. a/pina fruits in June and July, and has erect, 
much-branched stems 1-3in. high, naked at base. Leaves nerve- 
less densely crowded, smooth, glossy, obovate, and contracted a 
little below the middle, the margin obtusely serrate above the 
base, but entire in the upper part where the areolation is in parallel 
rows and dot like. Capsules oblong-ovate, black-brown, on a dark 
pseudopodium. 
Two varieties of this Moss are found, 8 compacta, in densely 
compact fufts of a lurid blackish purple colour; A flavicans, 
elongated filiform stems, the leaves more distant, and colour 
yellowish. 
* * Leaves nerved. 
A. Rothit, the black falcate Andrea, grows in black tufts on 
mountain rocks. Stems §-1in. high, rigid, forked, and naked at 
base. Leaves patent, falcato-secund, nerved from an ovate base, 
lineal-lanceolate, smooth, entire at margin, nerve prominent at 
back, but vanishing at apex: areolation minute and dotted. 
