TORTULA. 31 



&stiva of Bridel, however, is only a variety of this, having 

 no piliferous leaves ; specimens of this we have seen which 

 were collected by Mr. Eagle. 



T. ruralis; stems elongated; leaves oblong, carinated, patent^ 

 and recurved ; nerve terminating in a long, generally dia- 

 phanous, serrated point; capsule oblong; lid subulate; teeth 

 of the peristome united below into a tube. (TAB, XII.) 



T. ruralis. Ehrh. Swartz Muse. Suec. Turn. Muse. Hib. p. 50. 

 EngL Bot. t. 2070. Barbnla ruralis. Hedw. 'Sp. Miisc. Moug. et 

 Nestl. n. 26. Syntrichia ruralis. Brid.Mohr. Bryum rurale. Linn. 

 Sp. PL Din. Muse. t. 45. f. 12. 



HAB. On trees as well as banks, and roofs of houses. 



This plant grows in thick tufts, and may be met with in 

 almost all situations where other mosses will grow. We 

 have seen it on banks forming the sea-shore, and also on 

 Mont Cenis on the edge of the limits of perpetual snow. 

 A variety growing on trees having broader leaves and shorter 

 hair-points resembles T. mucronifblia of Schwaegrichen so 

 nearly, that we cannot avoid considering them as the same 

 plant. 



T. sulidala; stems very short; leaves oblong-lanceolate, acu- 

 minate, the nerve excurrent, often forming an apiculus; cap- 

 sule cylindrical ; lid conico-subulate ; teeth of the peristome 

 united nearly to the apex into a long tube. (TAB. XII.) 



T. subulata. Hedw. Sp. Muse. t. 27. Turn. Muse. Hib. p. 44. EngL 

 Bot. t. 1101. Barbula subulata. Moug. et NestL n. 126. Syntrichia 

 subulata. Brid. Mohr. Bryum subulatum. Linn. Sp. PL p. 1581. 

 Dill Muse. t.45.f. 10. 



HAB. Banks, common. 



This species possesses the largest leaves by far of any of 

 our British species, although the stems are extremely short 

 and unbranched; but they are sometimes furnished with in- 

 novations. The leaves are moreover succulent, pellucid in 

 their lower half, curled when dry. The nerve is more or 

 less protruded beyond the acuminated extremity of the leaf, 

 but we have never seen it diaphanous. The capsules are 

 long, cylindrical, sometimes, especially when old, curved; 

 the lid long, subulate ; the peristome 'also long, forming a 

 bright red tube; the laciniae free only at the end, where they 

 form a small twisted sort of brush. In habit as well as in 

 place of growth it is nearly allied to the following. 



T. cunetfolia ; stems scarcely any ; leaves broadly obovate, 

 concave, nerve terminating beyond the top of the leaf in a 

 rather long and frequently serrulated point] capsule oblong; 



