42 



HANDBOOK OF MOSSES. 



Dicrandla squarrosa is much more rare, and is possibly 

 more frequent in some of the Yorkshire woods than else- 

 where. It occurs in large tufted masses on wet, dripping 

 banks in both woods and shady places, and may be recog- 

 nised at once by the remarkably squarrose leaves (i.e. 

 curved downwards on all sides of the stem). In the York- 

 shire districts the stem is often six inches long. The leaves 

 are lance-shaped obtuse, and clasp the stem at the base, and 

 are quite smooth on their lower surface. Fruiting about 

 August. 



FIG. 24. Dicranum scofiarium. i, plant natural size. 2, dimidiate calyptra. 

 3, a portion of leaf to show enlarged basal cells ; 3 a, nerve. 4, apex of leaf to show 

 the toothed or serrated nerve, 4 a. 



Dichodontium pellutidum, which is nearly related to the 

 last, is far less rare, and may often be found covering the 

 sandstone banks and rocks in streams. It grows in light- 

 green patches, from one to two inches high ; the leaves are 

 squarrose when moist, twisted when dry, and more or less 

 covered with minute protuberances, or papillae, on the under 

 surface. The leaf-cells are dot-like, and the nerve scarcely 

 continued to the top of the leaf. Fruit, often very abundant, 



