MUSCI. (mosses.) G17 



nal on a short branch. — Minute terrestrial perennials, with mostly simple stems 

 and lanceolate-subulate, continuously costate leaves of a loose oblong areolation 

 at their base, elsewhere smaller, compact and roundish. (Named after Britch, a 

 distinguished bryologist.) 



1. IS. flexssosa, Schwaegr. Stems flexuose-erect, simple ; leaves distant, 

 spreading from an oblong base, long-subulate, channelled, denticulate at the 

 apex ; capsule obovate-oblong, exserted, abruptly passing into a rather long 

 slender and flexuous pedicel, covered for half its length by the calyptra. — Var. 

 nigricans: Whole plant longer; leaves shorter, appressed ; spores larger, 

 dark brown. — New England to Florida, and westward; the var. on Raccoon 

 Mountains, Alabama, Lesquereux, and Cleaveland, Ohio, Prof. Casseh. 



2. IS. Bcyricitiiuia, Hampe. Has (according to SchwEegrieb.cn) the 

 leaves and pedicel of No. 1, but a much shorter stem, and the calyptra entirely 

 covering the oblong capsule. — Maryland, near Baltimore, Beyrich. (Not since 

 detected.) 



3. B. brevipes, Hook. Stems short; leaves as in No. 1, but erect, over- 

 topping the globose-oval somewhat pyriform capsule ; pedicel short ; spores 

 nearly twice as large as in the first species. — Louisiana, Drummoiid. 



4. IS. brcvifolia, Sulliv. Size of No. 3 ; leaves much shorter, broader, 

 erect, reaching only to the base of the large obovate-oblong and short-pedi- 

 celled capsule; spores as in No. 1. — (Bruchia Vogesiaca, var. 2, Hook fr Wils. 

 in Dram. 2d Coll. No. 15 -partly.) — Louisiana, Drummond: South Carolina, Rave- 

 nel: Texas, Wright. (Tab. I.) 



5. IS. ISsweait'Sii, Wils. mss. Almost stemless ; leaves lanceolate-subu- 

 late ; costa excurrent and with a scabrous apex ; capsule globose-pyriform, ob- 

 tusely apiculate, slightly exserted, short-pedicelled ; calyptra strongly papillose, 

 8-10-lobed at the base. — South Carolina, Ravenel. — (Very near the Chilian 

 B. Hampeana, C. Mull.) 



IS. STEGOCARPI. — Capsule dehiscing by a deciduous operculum. 

 Tribe II. WEISIE^. 



6. GYMNOSTOMUM, Hedw. ( Tab. 15.) 



Calyptra cuculliform. Operculum conic-rostrate. Capsule suboval, annu- 

 late, exserted. Peristome none. Inflorescence dioecious : male flower terminal, 

 gemmiform. — Rather small, densely ccespitose species, with linear-lanceolate cos- 

 tate leaves of a close, opaque, rather quadrate areolation. (Name from yvpvas* 

 naked, and OTo/xa, a mouth ; no peristome.) 



1. G. curvirostrum, Hedw. Stems fastigiately branched ; capsule 

 obovate, shining ; operculum with a long oblique rostrum. — Frequent, in dense 

 cushions, on wet limestone rocks. (Eu.) 



2. G. riipestre, Schwsegr. Smaller than the last ; capsule oval, and 

 with an erect elongated-conical operculum. — In similar situations with No. 1 : 

 variable. (Tab. I ) (Eu.) 



52* 



