444 



HOOKEEIACEAE. 



1. Cyclodictyon varians (Sull.) Broth. 

 Pale Cyclodictyon. (Fig. 488.) Plants per- 

 ennial, about 8" high; stems decumbent and 

 rooting; branches short, erect, irregular; leaves 

 pale green or yellow, crowded and flattened 

 in several ranks the lateral ones longer and 

 broader than the upper ones, all obscurely 

 toothed with a narrow^ border of one row of 

 cells, the veins narrow and ending below the 

 acuminate tip; cells lax and clear. Pedicel 

 smooth, erect; capsule nodding, ovoid-cylindric; 

 lid conic-apiculate; annulus large, falling with 

 the lid; peristome double; teeth red, striate with 

 a median furrow; endostome yellow with a 

 short basal membrane and 16 keeled segments, 

 cilis none; spores green, smooth, maturing in 

 March and April. [HooTceria varians Sull.] 



On damp rocks in shade, usually in caves. 

 Florida to Guadeloupe. 



Family 9. RHACOPILACEAE Brotlierus. 



Hairy-cap Family. 



Stems decumbent, usually tomentose and branching; leaves crowded 

 and flattened in 2 ranks, the under leaves much smaller and different in 

 shape from the lateral ones ; vein single, cells hexagonal smooth or slightly 

 papillose. Pedicel erect; capsule ribbed when dry; lid beaked; calyptra 

 cucullate, hairy; annulus present, peristome double. A family of one 

 genus only and 39 tropical or subtropical species. 



1. RHACOPILUM Beauv. 

 Characters the same as those of the family, the following species typical. 

 [Latin, in reference to the hairy calyptra.] 



1. Rhacopilum tomentosura (Sw.) 

 Brid. ToMEXTOSE Hairy-cap. (Fig. 

 489.) Plants seldom more than 1' 

 high, dark green, perennial; stems 

 decumbent irregularly branched, 

 densely matted with brown hairs; 

 lateral leaves somewhat unequal at 

 base, sharply toothed with the vein 

 ending in a slender awn, cells almost 

 smooth; under leaves narrower and 

 longer-pointed. Pedicel stout, erect; 

 capsule horizontal, curved and 

 strongly ribbed when dry; teeth pale 

 and papillose at apex; inner seg- 

 ments keeled and split ; cilia 3 ; spores 

 small, smooth, maturing in summer. 

 [Eypnum tomentosum Sw.] 



Growing on rocks in shade, in caves 

 and on cliffs. Also in Louisiana and 

 ranging through the West Indies to 

 South America. 



