EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 71 



Var. e. tenue, Braithw. 



Stems elongated, slender, laxly tufted ; the branches arcuate, 

 decurved, very slender, rather short. 



Stem leaves very broadly bordered, large, ovate, truncate, 

 lacerate at rounded apex, rarely fibrose. 



Branch leaves small, short, green, and purple, less densely 

 imbricated, ovate with a rounded point. Plants dioicous. 



Synon. — Sph. acutifolium var. y. tenellum, Schimp. Torfm. p. 57, t. xiii. y ; Synops. 

 p. 673, et ed. 2, p. 826. Russow, Beitr. Torfm. p. 44. Milde, Bry. Siles. p. 381. 



Sph. tenellum, Klinggr. in Schr. der K. Phys. CEk. Gesel. zu Konigs. 1872, 

 p. 4. 



Sph. acutifolium var. tenue, Braithw. Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 37. 



Hab. — In deep bogs in mountain, districts. 



Europe. — Silesia, Bunzlau (Limpricht) ; Hochwald, near Waldenburg (Zim- 



o 



merman) ; Lapland, Lycksele (Angstrom) ; Prussia (Khnggraff). Westmoreland, 

 Skeggles (Barnes) ; Yorkshire, Bleaberry Gill, Goathland (Anderson). 



In form of leaf this comes very close to rubellum, and would 

 have to be transferred to it, if that is to continue a species. 



Var. £. quinquefarmm, Lindb. 



Plants slender, 4-6 in. high, with a hemispherical dense capitulum ; 

 pale green above, pale yellowish green below, more or less inter- 

 mixed with light purple.. 



Stem leaves with a broad base, deltoid, obtusely pointed, and 

 with five teeth at apex ; the cells without fibres. 



Divergent branches spreading, flexuose ; the leaves when dry 

 distinctly 5-ranked, divergent or somewhat recurved, small, obtuse, 

 5-toothed. 



Synon. — Braithw. Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 37 b (sub var. tenue). 



Hab. — Subalpine bogs in woods. 



Europe. — Finland (Lindberg). Ireland: In a damp pine-wood at Glenfarne, 

 Leitrim (Dr. Moore, May, 1875). 



This beautiful plant stands near to var. tenue, but is much 

 more robust and of softer texture, and is beautifully variegated with 

 pale yellow-green and rose colour ; the most distinctive character, 

 however, is that of the 5-ranked, widely divergent leaves, most 

 conspicuous in the dry state, which are also larger and more 

 acuminate. 



Var. r). gracile, Russow. 



Stems slender, firm and rigid, 4-6 in. high, pale red and green 

 above, reddish brown below. Stem leaves obtuse, 5-toothed, 



