FISSIDENTACE.E.] 79 [Fissidens. 



minutely serrulate, toward apex eroso-denticulate with larger and smaller 

 teeth; vag. lam. above half length of leaf; inferior lam. rather broad, 

 with a rounded, non-decurrent base; areolation rather lax, rounded- 

 subhexagonal, in the old leaves in a broad paler or yellowish border of 

 rather larger cells. Capsules from middle of stem, on a long red pedicel, 

 cernuous or horizontal, oval-oblong, pachydermous, rufo-fuscous, when 

 dry and empty, strongly contracted below the mouth ; calyptra cucullate, 

 lid long-beaked, about length of capsule ; teeth purple, narrowly trabe- 

 culate externally, lamellose internally. Perich. bracts broadly ovate 

 with a sword shaped vertical lamina. Male infl. on the stem near the 

 female, small, axillar, gemmiform, bracts broadly ovate, abruptly apicu- 

 late, antheridia few, oblong, minute, without paraphyses. 



HAB. Shady wet banks and heaths, subalpine rocks, and at base of walls. 

 Not uncommon. Fr. 12. 



This well-known moss varies considerably in size and colour according 

 to the locality, in dry places being only half an inch high, and of a yellow- 

 rufous tint, in wet places deep green and approaching F. polyphyllus in size ; 

 it occurs at a considerable altitude on the mountains. 



13. FISSIDENS POLYPHYLLUS Wils. 



Dioicous ; tall, scarcely branched ; leaves crowded, elongato- 

 lanceolate, not bordered, entire, nerved to apex; seta lateral, very 

 short, capsule cylindraceous, cernuous. (T. XII, C.) 



SYN.- Fissidens polyphyllus WILS. in lit. BRUCH. SCHP. Bry. eur. vi, Mon. Suppl. T. III. (1851) ; 



Syn. muse. 109 (1860), et 2 ed. 121 (1876). BERK. Handb. Br. m. 158 (1863). 

 F.asplcnioidesvzr. ft. polyphyllus WILS. Bry. Brit. 306, t. 53 (1855). HOBK. Syn. Br. m. 



J 37 (1873)- 



F. adiantoidcs p. p. C. MUELL. Syn. Muse, i, 51. 

 F. Welwitschii SCHIMP. Syn. Muse. 2 ed. 120 (non Duby). 

 F. polyphylloides SAUERB. in Adumb. Muse, ii, 658 (1879). 



Dioicous; stems 3 12, in. long, erect or declinate at base, simple 

 or sparingly branched, tomentose with rufous radicles. Leaves crowded, 

 erecto-patent, flattened or secund, somewhat twisting at apex and 

 flexuose when dry, elongato-lanceolate, not bordered, minutely crenulate 

 at extreme point, nerve lost just below it ; vag. lam. reaching beyond 

 middle, infer, lam. gradually narrowed towards base, not decurrent, 

 areolation minute, rounded-hexagonal, with large chlorophyl granules, 

 that of vag. lam. laxer and larger. 



Female plant small, ij in. high, seta about i in. long, erect, arising 

 near the top of stem ; capsule inclined or horizontal, pachydermous, 

 chestnut brown, cylindraceous, narrowed at base into a neck ; teeth of 

 peristome firm, orange red, erect, rather short, cleft half way into two 



