DIPHYSCIUM. 15 



of this curious genus j and it is only upon the plants preserved in 

 our Herbaria and those of our friends that we have been able to 

 make our observations. The result of these has .been by no 

 means satisfactory in enabling us to verify those of Hedwig and 

 Mohr relative to the splitting of the lid into segments. Our 

 drawing of this character is consequently taken from Hedwig's 

 figure ; and we willingly adopt the genus on account of its very 

 peculiar habit, which at first sight approaches near to that of 

 some of the distichous -leaved Dicrana; and it is not improbable 

 that, mistaken for some of the small varieties of Dicranum Iry- 

 oides, it has been so seldom collected in Britain. 



S. pennata. (TAB. VIII.) 



Schistostega osmundacea. Mohr Fl. Crypt. Germ. p. 92. Gymno- 

 stomum petmatum. Hedw. St. Cr. v.l.t. 29. Engl. Bot. t. 2213. Mni- 

 um osmundaceum. Dicks. PL Crypt, fasc. 1. t. l.f. 4. 



HAB. Banks. 



The only known station in Britain for this singular and 

 very minute moss is in the road from Zele to South Tawton 

 Church, near Okehampton, Devonshire, where it was found 

 by Mr. Newberry. The stems are scarcely a quarter of an 

 inch in height, and in all the specimens that we have seen 

 simple ; on the lower half bare of leaves, the upper fur- 

 nished with them of a lanceolate figure, much reticulated, 

 plane and disposed in a pinnated manner. They are dectir- 

 rent at the base, but by no means confluent : those in the 

 centre are the longest, and they gradually diminish in size 

 above and below. The fructification is terminal, the fruit- 

 stalk nearly equal in length to the stem, in our specimens. 

 The capsule spherical. The lid and calvptra we have not 

 seen. 



7. DIPHYSCIUM. 



rEN. CHAR. Fruitstalks terminal ; Capsule gibbous ; 

 Peristome single, forming a plicate, membranous, 

 truncated cone ; Calyptra mitriform. (TAB. I.) 



We must confess ourselves unable to detect any thing that can 

 be considered a second peristome, and are therefore obliged, 



