Hypnum.] D I PL O PER I S T O M I. 165 



house. Rocks and trees about Forfar, Scotland. Mr. 

 Drummond. 



Stems forming closely entangled tufts, having numerous 

 short, erect branches ; leaves erecto-patent, slightly secund on 

 the lowermost creeping shoots, ovate, or ovato-lanceolate, 

 running out into a long, narrow acumen, which appears, under 

 a slight magnifier, slightly serrulate, there are two very short 

 indistinct nerves at the base. Fruitstalks about half an inch in 

 length, capsule cylindrical, slightly swelling at the base, reddish 

 brown. 



We have mentioned under H. cupressiforme, that a slender 

 variety of that moss has frequently been mistaken for the true 

 Leskea polyantha of Hedwig, but we have never, ourselves, 

 seen a British individual of this latter till Mr. "VF. Backhouse 

 of Darlington, a most diligent investigator of the mosses of that 

 neighbourhood, sent us specimens gathered on old apple-trees, 

 in Nov. 1822, observing that he had visited the spot whence 

 the specimens of H. polyanthus of Engl. Bot. were sent, and 

 ascertained them to have the inclined capsules, and other marks 

 of our var. j. of H. cupressiforme. The distinctions are, that 

 our plant has leaves pointing in all directions, broader below, 

 more suddenly acuminated above, capsule quite erect, and de- 

 cidedly the peristome of a Leskea. In general habit it resem- 

 bles H. sericeum, but its smaller size, less glossy, duller green 

 coloured leaves, without striae, or evident nerve, are characters 

 sufficiently distinctive. 



23. H. sericeum ; leaves erecto-patent lanceolate acuminated en- 

 tire or slightly serrated nerve running to three-fourths of the 

 length, capsule ovato-cylindrical erect, lid conical. (TAB. 

 XXV.) 



Hypnum sericeum. Linn. Sp. PL p. 1595. Turn. Muse. Hib. p. 

 138. Smith, Fl. Brit. p. 1282. Engl. Bot. t. 1445. Hook. Fl. Scot. 

 P. II. p. 143. Hobson, Brit. Mosses, v. 1. n. 79. Drummond, Muse. 

 Scot. v. I. n. 79. Am. Disp. Muse. p. 64. 



Leskea sericea. Hedw. St. Cr. v. 4. t. 17. Moug. et Nestl n. 25. 

 Schwaegr. Suppl. v. 1. P. II. p. 178. Brid. Meth. p. 144. Funck, 

 Deutschl. Moose, t. 36. f. 12. Dill. Muse. t. 42. / 9. 



HAB. On trunks of trees, walls and rocks. 

 Stems creeping ; branches numerous, erect. 

 L 3 



