SCHISTOSTEGACE^.] 104 [Schistostega. 



Bry siles. 184 (1869). HOBK. Syn. br. m. 135 (1873). HUSN. Mouss. nord-ouest 112 

 (1873) Muse gall. 200, t. 54 (1888). JURATZ. Laubm. oesterr.-ung. 223 (1882). LESQ. 

 JAMES Moss. N. Amer. 188 (1884). 



SMstosteea bennata HOOK. TAYL. Muse. br. 14, t. 8 (1818). GREV. in Mem. Wern. Soc. 

 iii, 363 (1821). GRAY Nat. arr. br. pi. i, 713 (1821). HOOK. Br. fl. ii, 12 (1833). 



Dioicous; springing annually from a persistent, branched con- 

 fervoid protonema, composed of globose cells, ~soid of chlorophyl. 

 Tufts loose, soft, pale bluish-green, rufescent at base. Stems very 

 slender, naked at base, the vertical leaves rhomboidal, acuminate, 

 decurrent and confluent at base, the horizontal smaller lanceolate, all 

 entire, nerveless, with lax, rhombic sparingly chlorophyllose cells. 

 Caps, on a long seta, minute, globose-oval, brownish-green ; lid yellow 

 with a red margin. Male infl. terminal, gemmiform, antheridia and 

 archegonia without paraphyses. 

 HAD. Caverns in sandstone recks, and dark holes. Fr. 3-4. 



Between Zele and S. Ta\vton, Devon (Newberrr). Tildersley and Worsley, Lane. (Evans). 

 Gallows hill, Nottingham forest (you'itt). ' Rowter reck, Winster, Derby (Bo7cman). 

 Helsby crag, Warrington (Wilson) ! Green's clough and Thieveley scouts (Non-ell) ! ! 

 Alderley edge (Hunt). Frodsham, Cheshire (Wilson). Upton's sand caves, Overton 

 hills, Cheshire (Robinson 1866)! Trengwainton quarry, Cornwall (Cttrntru-). In old 

 rabbit holes, Bickleigh down, Yanaton down, Leatherton-tor and Mount Edgcumbe 

 (Holmes) ! ! Bolney, Sussex (Mitten). Charlesworth and New Mills, Derby 

 (Whitehead). Near Guisbro, Yorks. (R. Barnes 1888) ! ! 



This lovely little moss is quite peculiar for the manner in which thft 

 distichous leaves run into each other at the base, as well as for the 

 remarkable effect produced by the confervoid protonema (Catoptridium 

 smaiagdinum BRID. Bry. univ. ii, t. Suppl. I.), the globose cells of which act as 

 lenses, and refract the light rays, producing a golden green or iridescent 

 effulgence. 



TAB. LX. 



Schisiostega osmnndacea (Guisbro', R. Barnes). 



a. Fertile plant, a*, a**. The same magnified, b**. Male plant mag. i. Vertical 

 leaves. 2. Protonema. 3. Antheridia and bract. 4. Calyptra. 5. Capsule. 



