368 MUSCI. Iksmaiudon. 



14. DESMATODON, BmKl. 

 Closely allied to Trichostomum, fruiii which it is seitarated by broader ovate- or 

 obovate-oblong and usually obtuse or obtusisli loaves ; teeth of the peristome simi- 

 lar, ratlier short and subulate, somewliat incurved or loosely twisted when dry : low, 

 soft, sparingly branched : intlorescence monoicious, the male flowers terminal and 

 axillary : capsule erect in our species. 



A small genus of five European species (four of which are also Aineiieaii), and five peculiar to 

 North Anu'iica. 



1. D. latifolius, Bridel. Stems | to raiely 1 inch high : leaves deep green, 

 paler with age, more or less spreading, incurved or somewhat twisted when dry, 

 ovate-oblong, acuminate, carinate-concave with revolute margins, the costa excurrent 

 or ceasing below the apex : capsule oldongcylindric, brownisii beconung chestnut- 

 colored, covered to the l)ase by the whitish calyi)tra ; operculum with an obli(jue 

 blunt beak : divisions of the teeth distinct or rarely somewhat connate, strongly 

 pa])illose, pale red, incurved on drying. — IJruch & Schimp. IJryol. luir. t. 121), 

 130; Sulliv. Sc Lesq. j\Iusc. Am.-l5or. Exsicc. 2 ed. n. 122. Dicixmuin lalifuliian, 

 Hedw. i\Iusc. Kn.nd. i. 89, t. 'dW. 



Var. mutiCUS, Bridel. Stem taller, more slender and branched : leaves more 

 obtuse : cajisule deep purple. 



Slopes of Tuolumne ("unon, and on Mount Dana at 11,000 feet altitude (/i<*A(H(/cr) ; in .Silver 

 Valley, on expu-sed .soil, at 8-!), 000 feet altitude (Jhrircr) ; Cascade Mountains (/.»/«//) ; and 

 from Arctic America to Utah, Colorado and Labrador. Also in alpine and suhalpine Eurojie. 



2. D. systilius, Bruch &, Schimp. Leaves broader and softer, obovate-oblong, 

 with flat margins, ami minutely crenulate at the apex, the costa excurrent as a long 

 seta : capsule narrower cylindric, yellow becoming red ; operculum adherent to the 

 columella : teeth smaller and less regular, partially coherent, jialer. — Bryol. Eur. 

 t. 131. 



Foot of Mount Dana (Buhaulcr) ; Rocky Mountains of I'riti.sh America (Draimno)ul); also 

 European. 



D. CERNUUS, Bruch & Schiniji. 1. c., t. 134, distiiif^uished from the preceding by the gibbous- 

 ovate cernuous or siibhorizontal capsule, has been collected in the East Ilumbohlt Mountains, 

 Nevada [IFalson), and in Britisli America. A Eurojjean sjieeics. 



15. BARBULA, lied wig. 



Closely allied to Trichostomum, from which it is distinguished by the usually 

 very long distinct and flliform divisions of the teeth, which are more or less twisted 

 to the left. — Tortida, Schreb. 



The largest genus of the group, including over 100 s]iecics, Sclnmjicr referring to it a number 

 that are usually ]ilaced in Trichostomuin or Iksinntodna. Mitten unites the tiirce genera. Tlio 

 species in some of tiie groups seem to be needlessly niultii)lied. 



§ 1. Very loxv annuals, the rirjid leaves with a broad thickened nerve covered above 

 toward the cij/ex tvith jointed Jilaments. — Aloina. 



1. B. rigida, Schultz. Stems loosely cespitose, 1 or 2 lines long, scarcely 

 branched: leaves dark green, spreading, oblong, obtu.se, the membranous margin 

 strongly inflexed : inflorescence dioecious : capsule erect, elliptic-oblong, straight, 

 half-covered by the long-beaked calyj)tra ; operculum oblirpiely long-rostrate; aniudus 

 distinct : teeth rather long, twice twisted. — L'ecens. Barlj. t. 32, jig. 1 ; Bruch & 

 Schimp. Brynl. Eur. t. 137. Tortida rvjida, ^Vilsoii, Bryol. IJiit. t. 32. 



Var. pilifera, Schimp. Upper leaves tipped with a hair like awn as long as the 

 blade. — iJeXot. Muse. Ital. t. 4. 



Collected (the variety) only on Guadalupe Island, Palmer, The species occurs througli t<!m- 

 perate and southern Europe, the variety in Italy and at the Cape of Good Hope 



