374 MUSCI. Fissidens. 



unequally cleft teeth, as in Dicranxim, the narrow segments with numerous prominent 



joints, and geniculately inflexed when dry. 



A genus readily recognized by its very peculiar foliage, of about 20 European species and 

 nearly as many American, 5 species being common to both regions. 



* Fruit terminal : very small. 



1. F. limbatUS, Sulliv. Small, the stems 2 or 3 lines high, simple or sparingly 

 branched below: leaves 8 to 10 pairs, oblong, hyaline upon the margin except at 

 the apex, the acute blade scarcely equalling the broadly margined complicate base : 

 inflorescence monoecious ; perigonial leaves broadly ovate, entire, with nearly obso- 

 lete blade : capsule oblong, somewhat cernuous, upon a comparatively long pedicel : 

 teetli of the peristome almost Avholly inflexed within the capsule. — Pacif. li. Eep. 

 iv. 185, t. 1. 



On shaded ground near Oakland, and common around San Francisco, Bigclow, Bolander. 



2. F. ventricosus, Lesq. Stouter, loosely cespitose, dark colored; the stems 

 an inch long or more, branching from the base, the branches simple or sparingly 

 divided, with rootlets at all the nodes : leaves numerous, crowded, erect spreading, 

 coulter-shaped, with dilated ventricose base, obtusish, with a thick costa, and 

 generally surrounded by a thick margin ; areolation ovate-quadrate or irregularly 

 polygonal ; involucral leaves broadly ovate, irregularly dissected, apiculate : inflore;-- 

 cence monoecious : capsule obovate, erect upon a very short scarcely exserted pedicel, 

 attenuate at base ; teeth erect, rather broad. — Mem. Calif. Acad. i. 7 ; Sulliv. Icon. 

 Muse. Suppl. 45, t. 30. 



On submerged rocks, Mendocino City, Bolander. Only a single capsule was collected, without 

 operculum. 



* * Fruit axillary : plants larger. 



3. F. grandifrons, Bridel. Stems erect, 2 or 3 inches high, simple or sparingly 

 branched, rather rigid, green : leaves numerous, crowded or somewhat remote, 

 linear-lanceolate, acuminate, thick and rigid, formed of several layers of cells, the 

 stout costa ceasing below the apex : inflorescence dioecious, the female flower bud- 

 like and axillary, containing numerous archegonia ; male flower and capsule unknown. 

 — Bruch k Schimp. Bryol. Eur. t. 106. 



Near the sea, Mattole district, Humboldt County, on rocks constantly wet with spring water, 

 Bolander. Also found at Niagara Falls, and upon wet rocks in Mexico, Europe, Algiers, and the 

 mountains of India. 



F. ADiAXTOiPES, Hedw., is a more common species in the Atlantic States and throughout 

 Europe, on shaded moist ground and wet rocks, and was collected by Lijall at Fort Colville. 

 The much branched stems are 1 to 3 inches high, with oblong-lanceolate acuminate serrulate 

 leaves hyaline upon the margin, the costa excurrent : inflorescence moncecious, axillary ; pedicel 

 from the middle of the stem : capsule nodding : operculum long-beaked : teeth bright purple. — 

 Bruch & Schimp. 1. c, t. 105. 



17. DISTICHIUM, Bruch & Schimp. 



Densely cespitose alpine perennials, on wet rocks, dichotomously branched. 

 Leaves distichous, spreading from a clasping base, subulate-setaceous, costate, entire 

 or nearly so, smooth and shining ; areolation minutely quadrate above, looser and 

 hyaline at base. Inflorescence moncecious ; antheridia long and slender. Calyptra 

 cucullate, long-beaked. Capsule erect or nodding, long-pedicellate, oblong or cylin- 

 drical, coriaceous, shining, annulate ; operculum conic. Peristome single, of 16 

 linear-lanceolate teeth, subentire or bifid, with a submedial line, punctulate, 

 reddish. 



Including 2 species, both widfly distributed. 



