240 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH HEPATIC/E. 



erect, J to J inch with branches, few assurgent, 

 to height of chief stem ; when tufts loose, 

 stems prostrate, creeping ; leaves closely 

 clasping stem on both sides ; fertile stems 

 increasing in size to apex, which is blunt 

 and swollen ; barren shoots catenulate ; 

 leaves ovate, roundish ovate, bidentate ; 

 segments round and obtuse, finely crenu- 

 late. 



Gymnomitrium obtusum, Pears. Journ. Bot., 

 Nov. 1880 ; Pears. Journ. Bot., 1880, p. 337. 

 Gymnomitrium concinnatum, Gott. and Rabh 

 Exs. No. 567. 



In crevices of rocks. 



In tufts a few inches in diameter, or less, of a 

 silvery polished appearance, dark coloured where 

 exposed, and, where shaded, greenish. Stems 

 intricately entangled, ^ to ^ inch, almost 

 round, rootlets few, hyaline, produced from 

 the underside of the stem. Leaves ovate, roundish 

 ovate, obovate, sometimes broader at the lower 

 half of the leaf, sometimes broader at the upper, 

 concave, bidentate ; margin entire, except occasion- 

 ally at the outside of the leaf a shallow hollowing 

 out; sinus shallow, one-fifth to one-fourth deep, 

 sharp at the base, segments frequently slightly 

 overlapping, widening out broadly, with the seg- 

 ments broad, obtuse, nearly equal, each segment 

 very concave, forming at the top of each leaf two 

 spoon-shaped hollows ; segments finely rounded, 

 crenulate ; leaves with a hyaline border. Marginal 

 cells quadrate, small. Male stems swollen at the 



