428 HEFATIC^. 



large, 4-, 5-, and 6 -sided, subquadrate, near the base elongate, walls 

 thin, no trigones or thickened angles. Female bracts imbricate, 

 oblong-ovate, concave. Perianth wanting. Calyptra quite ex- 

 posed, oblong or linear-oblong, carnose, smooth. Pedicel white, 

 filiform, succulent. Capsule linear-oblong, pale brown, reti- 

 culated, delicate, sub-pellucid, 4 sometimes 5 equal linear valves ; 

 " it is sometimes cloven on one side only ; rarely are all the valves 

 completely separated, but mostly remain cohering at the apex 

 even when free elsewhere. The capsule-wall consists of a single 

 layer of cells, except at the apex, where an inner lining of thin 

 cells is added. Several elaters are attached to this apical cupola, 

 but they are equally long and slender as the others ; they are 

 either monospirous throughout, or dispirous below, but with one 

 thread running out at about midway. All the other elaters are 

 dispirous, and a good many of them are entangled in the apical 

 elaters, with which they persist for a time, but soon fall away 

 along with them." — E. Spruce. Spores roundish-angular, reddish- 

 brown, verruculose. Perigonial bracts terminal, larger than the 

 stem leaves, variable in shape, not closely imbricated nor ventri- 

 cose at the base, apex rather expanded, exposing the antheridia, of 

 which there are several at the base of each bract, spherical in 

 shape, yellow to orange in colour and furnished with a short stipe. 



Dimensions. — Stems about \ inch long, leaves 1*75 mm. x 

 1*25 mm., cells, near base of leaf, '1 mm. x "05 mm., '075 mm. x 

 •05 mm., near middle and apex '045 mm. x '035 mm., "06 mm. x 

 •035 mm. ; bracts 2 "25 mm. x l^mm.; bracteole 2^ mm. x "75 mm. ; 

 perianth 4* mm. x '75 mm. ; pedicel about \ inch long ; capsule 

 2' mm. X '6 mm. ; spores '03 mm. ; elaters "4 mm. x •Ol mm. ; 

 perigonial bracts 2^ mm. x "6 mm. 



Hab. — Heaths and damp places. Very rare. 



1. Chyanhal Moor, Penzance, Cornwall, W. Curnoiv, Aug. 1844. 

 2. Private road from Cadnam to Poultons, New Forest, Hamp- 

 shire, C. Lyell, Dec. 1812. 10. Barmby Moor, near York, 

 H. Spruce, Nov. 1842. 15. Kinnordy, Forfar, C. Lyell, Aug. 1813. 

 16. Moidart, West Inverness, S. M. Macvicar, 1898. 8. M. 

 Macvicar §• JF. H. P., 1899. 



