490 BRYACEAE. 



Family 7. BRYACEAE C. Muell. 



Bryum Family. 



Plants usually growing in cushions, rarely scattered. Stems erect, 

 simple or branching near the apex, often slender. Leaves scattered, oi 

 crowded at the summit, variable in shape, from oval to lanceolate, often 

 acuminate and subulate; vein single; margins entire or toothed; cells 

 smooth, generally hexagonal, sometimes longer and narrower on the border 

 and rectangular at the base. Pedicel terminal, erect; capsule erect or nod- 

 ding, generally sj^mmetric with a w^ell-developed neck; calyptra cucullate; 

 lid flat, not beaked ; peristome usually double, rarely single or lacking. A 

 widely distributed family composed of 16 genera with over 950 species most 

 abundant in temperate, alpine and arctic regions. [Greek, meaning a moss.] 



1. BRYUM L. Sp. PI. 1115. 1753. 



Plants usually growing in dense compact cushions, more or less matted 

 with radicles. Stems erect, simple or branching by apical innovations. Leaves 

 more or less crowded at apex, erect, elliptic, ovate or lanceolate, concave; 

 apex acute, obtuse or with the costa percurrent into an awn; margins often 

 bordered, more or less recurved, entire or serrate at apex; cells mostly hex- 

 agonal or rectangular at base. Inflorescence variable, heteroicous, pedicel 

 exserted, erect or bent at apex; capsule nodding or rarely horizontal, usually 

 ovoid or pyriform, with a distinct neck; annulus often large and compound, 

 falling with the blunt lid; peristome double, its teeth usually with a zigzag 

 median line; endostome equalling the teeth, sometimes imperfect or with keeled 

 segments and 2-3 cilia, arising from a basal membrane. A large genus of 

 about 625 species widely distributed from the arctic regions to the tropics in 

 both hemispheres. [Name Greek, a moss.] Type species: Bryum argenteum L. 



Capsule cvlindric, neck tapering. 1. B. capillare. 



Capsule pyriform, neck swollen. 2. B. coronatum. 



1. Bryum capillare L. Sp. PI. 1586. 1753. 



Plants growing in rather dense, dark green cushions. Stems short, spar- 

 ingly branched; leaves crowded in a rosette at the apex, curled and twisted 

 when dry, ovate to lanceolate, acuminate, the margins bordered by 1 or 2 rows 

 of narrow cells, entire or slightly toothed near apex; vein ending in the top or 

 excurrent; upper cells hexagonal, basal oblong, smooth. Pedicel long, red, bent 

 at base, paler and twisted above; capsule elongated, nodding; neck distinct; 

 lid small, apiculate; annulus large; peristome brown; teeth paler and papil- 

 lose above; endostome with a basal membrane and appendiculate cilia; spores 

 ripe in spring. 



On base of palms in sand, a widely distributed and variable species. Great 

 Bahama and Lignum Vitae Cay : — ^Florida ; West Indies ; South America ; also in 

 Europe and Africa. Hair-like Bryum. 



2. Bryum coronatum Schwaegr. Suppl. 1-: 103. pi. 71. 1816. 



Plants gregarious in bright green patches. Stems erect, simple or branch- 

 ing, usually about 1 cm. high ; leaves not crowded, spreading when moist, about 

 2 mm. long, lanceolate or elliptic, with the vein excurrent into a smooth, subu- 

 late tip; margins bordered by 1 or 2 rows of narrow elongated cells, some- 



