EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 73 



leaves ovate, narrowed at middle, and ending in a rounded toothed 

 point. 



Synon. — Sph. acutifolium var. e. fuscum, Schimp. Torf. p. 57, t. xiii. t; Synops. 

 p. 673, et ed. 2, p. 826. Russow, Beitr. p. 40. Milde, Bry. Siles. p. 382. Braithw. 

 Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 39. 



Sph. fuscum, KlinggrAff, in Schr. der K. Phys. CEk. Gesel. zu Konigs. 1872, 

 p. 4. 



Hab. — On extensive moors, forming vast and dense sods. 



Europe.— Silesia, Prussia, Thuringia, Lapland ; about Dorpat, abundant (Rus- 

 sow). England: Witherslack Moss, Westmoreland (Barnes). Scotland: Morvan, 

 Kincardine, at 2500 feet (Sim). 



Plainly coloured as this variety is, nothing can exceed the 

 beauty of a great bed of it, when freshly moistened by a shower, 

 resembling, as it does, a surface of snuff-coloured velvet, and it is 

 almost with regret that we cannot follow Klinggraff in elevating it 

 to the rank of a species ; histologically, however, it does not pre- 

 sent any distinctive characters. 



Var. k. arctum, Braithw. 



Plants in very densely cushioned tufts, 2-3 in. high, pale yellow 

 green above, brownish white below. Stem leaves ovate, auricled, 

 obtuse ; the margin involute at apex, which has five obtuse 

 teeth ; cells of the upper half fibrillose. Branches in very 

 close fascicles, short, ascending, arcuate below ; the leaves obtuse, 

 5 -toothed. 



Synon. — Sph. acutifolium var. arctum, Braithw. in Monthl. Micr. Journ. April, 

 1874, p. 157. 



Sph. molle var. arctum, Braithw. Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 2 1* a et b. 



Hab. — On extensive peat-moors in the north. Ireland: Connemara, Galway 

 (Dr. Moore). England: Witherslack Moss, Westmoreland (Barnes). Scotland: 

 Shetland Islands, Unst, and Reawick (Sim). 



This is the compact variety of the species, and has a very 

 peculiar aspect from its dwarf size and dense tufts, which form 

 close cushions. A faint tinge of purple may generally be observed 

 on some of the branches. 



Var. X. luridzim, Hueben. 



Plants 4-5 in. high, in dense tufts of a dull green colour 

 above, fuscous below. Branches densely crowded, erecto-patent, of 

 equal length, their leaves closely imbricated, acuminate, strongly 

 involute at points. Stem leaves large, elongated, linear-oblong, 



