Sphagnum.-} OYMNOSTOMI. 13 



1. S. obtusifolium; branches tumid, leaves ovate obtuse. 



(TAB. IV.) 



a. vulgaris; stems loosely tufted, 7 or 8 inches long, leaves closely im- 

 bricated. 



Sphagnum obtusifolium. Ehrh. Crypt, n. 241. f according to Smith J. 

 Hoffm. Germ. v. 2. p. 21. Hook. Fl. Scot. P. II. p. 121. Hobson, 

 Brit. Mosses, v. 1. n. 3. Drummond, Muse. Scot. v. 1. n. 3. Am. 

 Disp. Muse. p. 6. 



S. latifolium. Hedw. Sp. Muse. p. 27. Turn. Muse. Hib. p. 5. 

 Smith, Fl. Brit. p. 1145. Engl Bot.t. 1405. Schwaegr. Suppl. v. 1. p. 

 12. Moug. et Nestl. n. 113. Funck, Deutschl. Moose, t. 2. n. 3. 



S. cymbifolium. Swartz, Muse. Suec. p. 19. Brid. Meth. p. 1. 

 (to which may be added S. magellanicum, tenellum, patens, and crassisetum 

 of the same author}. Nees et Hornsch. Bryol. Germ. v. 1. p. 6. t. I. f. 

 1. f excellent J. 



S. contortum. Schultz Funck, Deutschl. Moose, t. 3. n. 6. Nees et 

 Hornsch. p. 15. t. 11. (sedfoliis magis acutisj. 



S. subsecundum. Nees. Funck, Deutschl. Moose, t. 2. n. 5. Nees et 

 Hornsch. p. 17. t. 7. (foliis angustioribus et subsquarrosisj. 



S. palustre. . Linn Dill. Muse. t. 32. f. 1. 



jS. minus; stems densely tufted, 2 or 3 inches long, leaves closely imbri- 

 cated. 



S. compactum. Schwaegr. Suppl. v. I. t. 3. Funck. Deutschl. Moose, 

 t. 2. n. 3. Brid. Meth. t. 3. (as likewise S. ericeforum and condensatum, 

 Brid.) Nees et Hornsch. Bryol. Germ. v. 1. p. 13. t. 2.f. 5. JgoodJ. 

 y. flnitans ; stems much lengthened out, often 2 feet long, slender ; leaves 

 scattered, remote. 



S. latifolium. /3. fluitans. Turn. Muse. Hib. p. 6. 



S. immersum. Nees et Hornsch. Bryol. Germ. v. 1. p. 11. t. 2. f. 4>. 



HAB. Bogs and still pools, most abundant. 



We look upon our a. vulgaris of the S. obtusifolium, to be 

 the most decidedly marked broad leaved state of the genus, from 

 whence a gradation may be observed to that species with the 

 narrowest leaves, as in S. cuspidatum. Already we find in some 

 of the varieties enumerated above, as may be seen by Nees and 

 HornschucJis admirable figures, an approach to the S. squar- 

 rosum and S. acutifolium, which come next to be enu- 

 merated, enough indeed to make us cautious in multiplying 

 the species unnecessarily. 



The occasional erosion of the tips of the leaves in the S. 

 compactum, described and figured by Schwaegrichen, is a cir- 



