EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 69 



Hab. — Margins of bogs and about the edges of woods, chiefly in alpine dis- 

 tricts. 



Lapland, Alps of Switzerland, Dovrefjeld. Scotland: Gelan Bog and Dalfroo 

 Bog, Strachan, Kincardine (Sim) ; Garynahine, Isl. Lewis, Hebrides (Braithwaite). 

 England: Darnholm, Goathland, Yorkshire (Anderson). 



This variety stands nearest the typical form, into which it 

 passes imperceptibly ; the branches are generally rosy red, with 

 pale points, or a mixture of green and red, and the texture softer. 

 Russow's var. y. laxunt appears to be only a tall, loose-leaved form 

 of the same variety, and Spruce's lilacinum is intermediate between 

 this and the next. 



Var. y. purpureum, Schimp. 



In dense cushioned tufts, almost entirely purple, short, densely 



ramulose, the capitulum dense. Stem leaves ovate, usually fibrose, 



sometimes slightly truncate, and fringed at point. Branch leaves 



ovato-lanceolate, closely imbricated. 



Synon. — Sph. acutifolium var. purpureifm, Schimp. Torfm. .p. 57, t. xiii. 8; 

 Synops. p. 673, ed. 2, p. 826. Russow, Beitr. p. 40. Milde, Bry. Siles. p. 381. 

 Klingg. in Schr. der K. Phys. CEk. Gesel. zu Konigs. 1872, p. 3. Braithw. Sphag. 

 Brit. Exsic. n. 33. 



Hab. — Marshes and moorlands ; not unfrequent in mountain districts. 



This comes close to the last variety, but has shorter and more 

 spreading branches, with shorter branch leaves ; the colour is also 

 a deeper purple, but pale at the lower part of the stems. 



Var. 8. rtibellum (Wils.), Russow. 



Dioicous ; plants slender, laxly tufted, purple, 2-6 in. high. 

 Stem leaves large and broad, obtuse, their cells bipartite, but rarely 

 fibrose. Branch leaves subsecund, oblong-ovate, rather obtuse, 

 3-toothed at apex. Male amentula deep purple, clavate, obtuse. 



Synon. — Sph. rtibellum, Wils. Bryol. Brit. p. 19, t. lx.' (1855). Schimp. 

 Torfm. p. 70, t. xx.; Synops. p. 680, et ed. 2, p. 826. Lindb. in Ofv. K. Vet. Ak. 

 Forh. xix. p. 142, n. 12. Berkel. Handb. p. 306. Hartm. Sk. Fl. ed. 9, ii. p. 83 

 (1864). Fl. Danica, t. 2753 (1867). Milde, Bry. Siles. p. 383. Schlieph. in Verh. 

 Z. B. Gesel. Wien, 1865, p. 388. Braithw. in Monthl. Micr. Journ. July, 1872, 

 pi. xxii. Hobk. Synop. Br. Moss. p. 24. 



Sph. acutifolium var. rubellum, Russ. Torfm. p. 41. Braithw. Sphag. Brit. Exsic. 

 n. 36. 



Sph. tenellum var. (3. rubellum, Klinggr. in Schr. der K. Phys. Glk. Gesel. 

 zu Konigs. 1872, p. 4. 



Hab. — In marshes at the edges of small pools ; rare in fruit. Often growing 

 intermixed with Sph. tenellum. 



Europe. — In Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark ; not unfrequent. Bavaria, 



