116 BRVUM. 



Bryum palustre. Swartz. Engl. Bot. t. 391. Turn. Mmc. M. 

 p. 1 13. Moug.et Nestl n. 135. Mnium palustre. Linn. Sp. PL p. 1574, 

 Hedw. Sp. Musc.Schwaegr. Suppl Smith Fl. Brit. Dill. Muse, 

 I.31./3. 



HAB. Bogs. 



Stems from two to four inches long, much branched, and 

 frequently throwing out innovations. Leave* erecto-patent, 

 lanceolate, obtuse, the margins much recurved or revolute, 

 entire, or at most appearing but very indistinctly serrulate 

 at the point, under a high magnifying power ; the nerve 

 reaching almost to the point ; the surface papillose. Male 

 flowers, according to Hedvvig and other authors, discoid. 

 Those terminal capitular bodies which so much resemble the 

 anthers of Br. androgymim are considered gemmae, and 

 arise not only from the main stems but from the innova- 

 tions, which become gradually lengthened out, and are des- 

 titute of leaves. Capsules ovate, oblique, sulcated, brown 5 

 lid conical. 



Notwithstanding the close affinity between the present 

 and the preceding species, they have by many authors been 

 placed in different genera. In both the leaves are of the 

 same form and texture, but the present species has them 

 somewhat obtuse, and for the most part entire : when 

 otherwise, for they are subject to vary, the similarity is very 

 gfeat. In the capsule there is a further difference, and, ac- 

 cording to the disciples of Hedwig, a more important one 

 in the capitula terminating the stems or branches; for 

 while in one species (Br. androgynuni) they are considered 

 to perform the office of anthers, in the other they can be 

 only looked upon as gemmae, the male flowers being dis- 

 coid. 



We wonder at Mohr's describing the leaf of Br. palustre 

 to be subulate. Some of them, indeed, have the margins 

 so revolute as to appear at first sight almost linear. 



II. Capsules smooth (destitute of furrows). 

 1 . Teeth of the external peristome shorter than the interior one. 

 3. Br. trichodes'y stems somewhat branched; leaves linear, ob- 

 tuse, entire, reticulated ; capsule obovate, recurved, subcer* 

 nuous; fruitsialk very long. (TAB. XXVIII.) 



Bryum trichode.s. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1585. Dicks. Engl Bot. 1. 1517. 

 Meesia uliginosa. Hedw. St. Cr. v. 1. 1. 1, 2. DHL Muse. t. 49./.5S. 

 HAB. Highland mountains, in wet places* 

 Stems an inch or more in length. Leaves erecto-pa- 



