70 THE SPHAGNACEjE OR PEAT-MOSSES OF 



Silesia, Thuringia, Prussia, Salzburg, Holland. Engla?id : Frequent in Lancashire, 

 Yorkshire, and Westmoreland ; found also in other counties and in Scotland and 

 Ireland. 



N. America. — Has been found occasionally. 



After the examination of many specimens from Wilson himself, 



and from all parts of the kingdom, I feel compelled reluctantly to 



follow Russow in reducing Sph. rubellum to one of the long 



chain of varieties which constitute the polymorphous Sph. aculi- 



folium. 



We may briefly consider the various points of distinction referred 

 to by Wilson and Schimper. 



i. The small size and delicacy of the plants. — This condition 

 is only relative, as specimens of rubellum 6 inches high 

 are not unfrequent, while other varieties of acutifolium are 

 found of even smaller size than ordinary rubellum. 



2. The dioicous inflorescence. — This is the strongest point for 



the specific character of Sph. rubellum, but other varieties 

 of acutifolmm are also dioicous, nay, I believe at times 

 its typical form is so. 



3. The larger non-fibrose stem leaves. — A reference to the 



plates will suffice to show that stem leaves of rubellum 

 are not larger than those of typical acutifolium ; and again 

 in rtibellum, threads are frequently present, and sometimes 

 they are quite wanting in the cells of the stem leaves of 

 acutifolium. 



4. The broader elliptical branch leaves. — The lowest leaves of 



the divergent branches are very broad and obtuse, and 

 those from the middle moderately so ; in no case have I seen 

 them truly elliptical, and often on the same plant others 

 will be found moderately pointed, while other varieties, 

 e. g. tenue, arc turn, fuscum, &c, have them quite as 

 obtuse, neither is their subsecund direction constant. 



Sufficient, I think, has therefore been advanced to show that 

 Sph. rubellum possesses no character of sufficient weight to entitle it 

 to specific distinction ; the upper branches are usually twisted, but 

 this is by no means constant, and occasionally we find specimens 

 with very little admixture of red, being either dull green or a pale 

 brown with only the comal branches purple, and for this form I 

 have used the name ambiguum. 



