91 



31. HYPNUM. 



GEN. CHAR. Fruitstalks lateral; Peristome double; 

 the exterior of 16 teeth; the interior of a mem- 

 brane cut into 16 equal segments, with filiform 

 processes frequently placed between them ; Ca- 

 lyptra dimidiate. (TAB. III.) 



In so extensive a genus as the present we would gladly follow 

 many of the most eminent muscologists in keeping Leskea apart 

 from it, were not the characters so difficult to be discovered, and 

 the individuals so closely allied in other respects to the rest of the 

 Hypna. The character is, as is well known, founded upon the 

 absence of the filiform processes between the segments of the 

 inner peristome. These indeed vary in number; and some of the 

 real Hypna of authors, such as H. lutescens, have very short 

 processes, which make them exactly intermediate between Hy- 

 pnum and Leskea. 



I. Stems (taken in conjunction with the leaves) plane. 

 1. Capsules erect. 



1. H. trichomanoides ; leaves broadly scymitar-shaped, serrated 



at the point, nerve reaching to the middle of the leaf; cap- 

 sule ovate, erect ; lid rostrate. (TAB. XXIV.) 



H. trichomanoides. Schreb. FL Lips. Turn. Muse. Hib. p. 145. 

 Engl. Bot. t. 1493. Leskea trichomanoides. Hedw. Moug. et Nestl. 

 n. 139. Dill. Muse. t. 34. /. 8. 



HAB. Trunks of trees, not rare. 



The remarkable curvature of the leaf, which we have en- 

 deavoured to express by the word scymilar-shaped, is pecu- 

 liar to this species of Hypnum. 



2. H. complanatum ; leaves oblong, apiculate, entire, nerveless; 



capsule ovate, erect ; lid rostrate. (TAB. XXIV.) 



H. complanatum. Linn. Sp. Pip. 1588. Turn. Muse. Hib. p. 144. 



Engl. Bot. t. 1492. Leskea complanata. Hedw. Moug. et Nestl. 



n. 328. Dill Muse. t. 34. f. 1. 



HAB. Trunks of trees, common. 



This elegant species as well as the preceding, as we have 



already intimated, comes very near in habit to the Neckerce, 



and particularly to N. pumila. 



