270 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH MOSSES. 



2. P. minutula, Br. fy Schimp. ; very short, gregarious, 

 annual ; leaves spreading, ovato- and oblongo-lanceolate, hair- 

 pointed from the excurrent nerve ; margin recurved ; sporan- 

 gium small, truncate, ovate ; lid large, conical. Hook, fy 

 Wils. t. vii. ; Eng. Bot. t. 2676, /. 1. ; (Moug. % Nest. n. 709.) 



In fallow fields, principally on a clay soil. 



Monoicous ; brownish-green, varying with the sporangium 

 slightly contracted at the mouth, in the breadth of leaves, 

 length of the hair-point, etc. 



3. P. truncata, Br. fy Schimp. ; leaves more or less spread- 

 ing, ovato-oblong and subspathulate, shortly acuminate, mu- 

 cronate from the excurrent nerve ; margin reflexed ; sporan- 

 gium truncato-obovate or oblong, wide-mouthed ; lid obliquely 

 rostrate, convex at the base. Hook, fy Wils. t. vii. ; Eng. 

 Bot. t. 1975, 1976. ; (Moug. $> Nest. n. 114, 809.) 



On mud walls, in fallow fields, etc. Bearing fruit in early 

 spring. 



Monoicous ; annual or perennial. Stem short or elongated ; 

 nerve more or less excurrent ; lid falling off with a portion of 

 the columella. The oblique rostrate beak distinguishes the 

 smaller forms from the preceding species. The smaller form 

 is represented in Eng. Bot. at t. 2676, /. 2, by way of compa- 

 rison. 



4. P. Wilsoni, Br. Schimp. ; somewhat tufted, simple ; 

 leaves crowded, erecto-patent, oblong, spathulate, rounded at 

 the apex, hair-pointed from the excurrent nerve ; lid obliquely 

 rostrate ; veil rough at the tip ; sporangium elliptico-oblong ; 

 spores small. Hook. Wils. t. xli. ; Eng. Bot. t. 2710. 



On sandy ground. Bearing fruit in February. 



Leaves octofarious, densely chlorophyllous in the upper part, 

 in which character it departs from the generic character, 

 though the cells when cleared out are not very small ; male 



