86 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH MOSSES. 



A fine species, distinguished from H. rutabulum not only by 

 the beak, but by the reflected margin of the leaves, and more 

 suddenly acuminate tip. 



15. H. piliferum, Schreb. ; stem procumbent, slightly 

 branched, more or less regularly pinnato-ramulose ; branches 

 attenuated ; leaves erecto- patent, ovate, with an abrupt hair- 

 like tip, entire ; nerve reaching halfway ; fruitstalk rough ; 

 sporangium ovate-oblong, cernuous; lid awl-shaped. Hook. 

 Wils. t. xxv.; Eng. Bot. t. 1516.; (Moug. % Nest. n. 6.24.) 



Shady banks and woods or on stones. Local ; often abun- 

 dant where it occurs at all. Bearing fruit, but rarely, in late 

 winter and early spring. 



Dioicous; forming loose, depressed, shining-green or when 

 exposed to the sun yellowish tufts, often several inches long, 

 especially when barren ; stem irregularly divided, the branches 

 more or less pinnate; leaves loosely imbricated, ovate or on the 

 branchlets ovate-oblong, very concave, decurrent, entire or 

 only obscurely serrulate, with a sudden, long, hair-like point ; 

 margin not reflected ; nerve reaching halfway up, faint above ; 

 cells narrow; fruitstalk an inch and a half long, scabrous; 

 sporangium ovate or ovate-oblong, often curved, cernuous ; 

 lid large, as long as the sporangium, with a subulate, curved 

 beak. 



16. H. speciosum, Brid. ; stem creeping ; branches simple, 

 erect ; leaves loosely set, patent, ovate, acute, serrated ; nerve 

 reaching almost to the tip ; fruitstalk rough ; sporangium 

 ovate, tapering at the base, cernuous ; lid rostrate. Hook, fy 

 Wils. t. Iv. 



On stones, near springs and in watery places. Anglesea 

 and Sussex. Bearing fruit in December. 



Male and female flowers growing together; forming low, 

 often floating tufts. Stems creeping, giving off erect, simple 



