38 MOSS HABITATS. 
But, in the neighbourhood of these reclaimed wastes, the borders of 
many of the fields, and the waysides of the lanes will still retain much 
of their heath-like character, and in such localities I have found the 
mosses of our heath-lands fairly represented. The mosses that I shall 
characterise as heath-mosses are Ceratodon purpureus, Campylopus fragilis, 
Bryum nutans, Funaria hygrometrica, Polytrichum piliferum, and Hypnum 
cupressiforme. These mosses, although abundant on heath-lands in 
Warwickshire, are by no means confined to such localities. 
Ceratodon purpureus will be found abundantly on heathy waysides in 
good fruit about the middle of May, and willbe found forming large dull- 
green patches, the purple fruit-stalk and fruit-giving quite a character to 
the locality. The leaves are lance-shaped, with reflexed entire margins 
keeled on the back ; the capsules oval, slightly curved, furrowed when 
dry, and slightly strumose at the base, (Plate IV., Fig. 13 b ;) lid conical, and 
fringe of sixteen teeth united by transverse bars. The fringe of this 
species forms a beautiful object for the microscope. 
Funaria hygrometrica will be found very abundantly in like places, 
more especially where the soil has been burnt, forming large yellowish- 
green patches, and when abundant has a very striking appearance. The 
leaves are large, very concave; the leaf-cells large, hexagonal ; capsule 
curved, somewhat pear-shaped, purple, and furrowed when ripe, sur- 
mounted by a beautifully marked plane-convex lid; the peristome or 
fringe double, the outer fringe being formed of sixteen beautifully marked 
reddish teeth, the inner of sixteen yellowish teeth ; annulus large. 
Campylopus fragilis, although abundant on our Sutton Park heath- 
lands, is by no means common on the heathy waysides; it will be found 
forming dense yellowish-green patches, the very fragile leaves being 
scattered abundantly over the patches; the leaves are lance-shaped, the 
nerve is broad, forming the greater part of the leaf, and composed of small 
quadrate cells. The cells of the leaf-base are large and transparent. 
The fruit is rare, and is usually found in autumn. 
Bryum nutans is a very abundant moss on damp heath-lands. I 
also find it in very dense masses on thatched roofs. It occurs in large 
dark-green tufts, the lower leaves are oval, lance-shaped, entire, the 
upper ones are longer, narrowly lance-shaped and toothed ; the nerve 
scarcely reaches the tip of the leaf; leaf-cells hexagonal, elongated ; 
fruit-stalk reddish; capsule pendulous, somewhat pear-shaped; lid 
convex, with a small point; fringe double. Fruit in May or June. 
Polytrichum piliferum will be found abundantly on many heathy way- 
sides in loose dark-green tufts, and may be readily distinguished by its 
large thick lance-shaped leaves, sheathing at the base, and terminated by 
a white hair-like toothed point ; the capsules are large, four- 
angled, with a distinct swelling just below the base of the capsule, called 
the apophysis; the fringe is formed of sixty-four teeth, which curve over 
the membranous process closing the mouth of the capsule, (the dia- 
phragm, Plate IV.,21c¢;) the calyptra is large, covering the whole capsule, 
and is clothed with a dense felt of shaggy hairs. 
