212 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH MOSSES. 



base, minute ; sporangium more or less swollen, nearly 

 quadrate above, extremely variable. The sporangium is repre- 

 sented in Eng. Bot. as somewhat angular, with a distinct 

 apophysis. 



63. OLIGOTRICHTTM, DC. 



Dioicous. Sporangium subcylindrical ; veil with a few 

 short erect hairs or papillae at the apex ; peristome single ; 

 teeth thirty-two, united at the base by a narrow membrane 

 and above by a tympanoid membrane produced from the top 

 of the columella which is clothed with the plicate sporangial 

 membrane ; leaves fleshy. 



1. O. hercynicum, DC.; leaves spreading, incurved, rigid, 

 lanceolate from a sheathing base; margin inflexed, remotely 

 toothed ; nerve lamellate in front, sulcate and spiiiulose behind ; 

 sporangium erect, oblong ; lid conical, acuminate. Hook. 

 Wils. t. x.; Eng. Bot. t. 1219.; (Plate 19, fig. 3); Moug. fy 

 Nest. n. 725. 



On the debris of granite, etc., in alpine districts. Scotland, 

 Wales and Lancashire. Bearing fruit in summer. 



Stem scarcely an inch high ; leaves fleshy, the margin 

 inflexed but not thickened ; nerve covered with undulated 

 plates ; veil sometimes quite naked. 



64. ATRICHUM, P. Beam. 



Monoicous or dioicous. Sporangium subcylindrical; veil 

 hood-shaped, almost naked, spinulose at the tip only ; peri- 

 stome single, of thirty-two teeth united at the base by a narrow 

 membrane, and above by the tympanoid top of the columella ; 

 spore-sac adnate with the walls of the sporangium ; leaves 

 membranous. 



1. A. tmdulatum, P. Beauv. ; monoicous; stem simple or 



