EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 43 



Stems 2-6 in. high, slender, extremely fragile, simple or bipar- 

 tite, straw-coloured ; cells of the peripheral layers yellowish ; cuticular 

 cells in two layers, small, without pores. Stem leaves large, erecto- 

 patent or reflexed, ovate-oblong, slightly narrowed toward the 

 point, which has several short, obtuse teeth, minutely auricled ; 

 margin incurved, broadly bordered with very narrow elongated 

 cells ; hyaline cells in the upper half densely fibrillose with few pores, 

 below narrow and empty. 



Ramuli 2-3 in a fascicle, 1-2 divergent, short, rather obtuse, 

 pale red ; cuticular cells very unequal, smallest quadrate ; retort cells 

 large, numerous, recurved, and projecting at the attenuated apex, 

 which is perforated and of a yellow colour. 



Leaves of the divergent branches patent or laxly incumbent, 

 sometimes subsecund, broadly ovate or ovato-lanceolate, with 3-5 

 small teeth at apex, incurved at margin in the upper part ; border 

 of about four rows of extremely narrow elongated cells; hyaline 

 cells broadly rhombic above, three times longer than broad below, 

 all with numerous strong reticulose fibrils, and many small pores on 

 the upper surface ; in section the hyaline cells are prominent and 

 confluent on the inner surface, but separated at back by the inter- 

 posed triangular chlorophyllose cells. 



Perichsetia placed in the coma and upper fascicles, the bracts 

 large, imbricated, outer oblongo-lanceolate, inner ligulate, densely 

 fibrillose in the upper half. 



Capsule globose, small, thin-walled, ochraceous brown ; spores 

 sulphur-coloured. 



Male plants in distinct tufts, or rarely intermixed with the 

 female and resembling them ; amentula small, orange-coloured ; 

 the bracts broadly ovate, resembling the branch leaves in structure. 



Hab. — Spongy open heaths and wet hollows in hilly places. Fr. May and June. 



Europe. — Scandinavia; frequent. Sporadically through Silesia, Westphalia, 

 the' Black Forest, North Germany, the Vosges, Belgium, &c. England: Lancashire, 

 Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Sussex, Kent (very fine at Keston Common), and other 

 counties. Scotland: In Perthshire, Forfar, Ross, Kincardine, and other counties ; 

 Shetland at N. Maven (Sim). Ireland : Kerry and other counties (Dr. Moore). 



N. America. — Sparingly in the northern States. 



This delicate little Sphagnum is a striking object when in fruit, 

 as this is produced in abundance, and renders it very conspicuous ; 

 while in the barren state it has, no doubt, been frequently over- 

 looked. It is most readily known by the large, curved retort cells 



