46 MUSCI. [Hypmtrn. 



cernuous ; lid conical. Hedw. St. Cr. v. 4, t. 26. Muse. Brit, 

 ed. 2, p. 188, t. 27. 



On dripping sides of banks ; common : not peculiar to limestone. 

 It is among the unexplained phenomena of nature by what powers of 

 organization, this plant, as well as Weissia verticillata, H. rusci- 

 folium, and others, are capable of covering their stems with an incrus- 

 tation of carbonate of lime, not observed on other species growing in 

 contact with them, and in situations where the presence of lime in the 

 subjacent or surrounding rocks, soil, or waters, cannot be traced or in- 

 deed suspected. 



B. Leaves nerveless, or very shortly Z-nerved. 



54. H. scorpioides, LINN. Leaves secund, broadly ovate, 

 ventricose, obtuse, somewhat apiculate, entire, nerveless or 

 shortly 2-nerved ; capsule oblongo-ovate, curved, cernuous ; 

 lid conical. Linn. sp. pi. p. 1592. Muse. Brit. ed. 2, p. 188, 

 t. 27. 



On bogs ; at Howth, Dunkerron, &c. ; not uncommon. 



55. H. cupressiforme, LINN. Leaves falcato-secund, ovato- 

 lanceolate acuminated, serrulate, shortly 2-nerved ; capsule cy- 

 lindrical erecto-cernuous ; lid conical, shortly apiculate. Linn, 

 sp. pi. p. 1592. Muse. Brit. ed. 2, p. 180, t. 27. (except var. 7.) 



On stones and trees ; very common. Varies in size ; the fine 

 stemmed var. found on trees, as at Glengariff, by Miss Hutchins, being 

 the most remarkable. 



6. II. multiflorum. Leaves lanceolate, elongato-acuminate, 

 secund, entire, nerveless ; capsule cylindrical, nearly erect ; lid 

 rostrate. H. polyanthos, Eng. Bot. t. 1664. (not Leskea polyantha. 

 Hedw.) H. cupressiforme Muse. Brit. ed. 2, p. J90, var. 7. 

 tenue. 



On stones and trees ; very common. Equally common with the 

 preceding, bearing greater exposure, often growing intermixed with it, 

 yet never exhibiting intermediate characters. In H. cupressiforme, 

 if the procumbent stems be viewed from above, the bases of the leaves 

 seem set in a bifarious manner, while their falcate summits all point 

 downwards ; in H. multiflorum there is no such flattening of the 

 stem caused by the insertion of the leaves, and their apices, which are 

 never falcate, point upwards. Still surer marks of the latter are found 

 in the narrower and perfectly entire leaves, the rostrate lid, the capsule 

 more erect, and its mouth much narrower. 



57. H. molluscum, HEDW. Stems pinnate ; leaves falcato- 

 secund, cordate much acuminated, serrated, scarcely striated, 

 shortly 2-nerved ; capsule oblongo-ovate, cernuous ; lid conical 

 apiculate. Hedw. St. Cr. v. 4, t. 22. Muse. Brit. ed. 2, p. 191, 

 t. 27. 



On the ground and on stones ; common. This is at once distin- 

 guished from the preceding, or, indeed, from all the preceding, by its 

 hirsute calyptra, except H. sericeum, in its young state, as observed 

 by Mr. Wilson. 



