( 



3* THE SPHAGNACE^ OR FEAT-MOSSES OF 



Group A.— CYMBIFOLIA. 



Plants robust. Branches turgid, those of the coma rounded 

 and obtuse at apex, the cuticular cells fibril lose ; branch leaves im- 

 bricated, very broad, cymbiform-concave, ovate o: roundish, with 

 an involute rounded cucuUate apex. 



I. Sphagnum Portoricense, Hampe. 



Pl. II. 



Dioicous ? tall, robust, fuscescent ; the stem with 2-3 layers of 

 cuticular cells. Stem leaves subquadrate-ovate, fimbriate all round 

 the margin. Divergent branches subclavate-fusiform, with closely 

 imbricated leaves, the cuticular cells spirally fibrillose, their trans- 

 verse walls geniculate downwards. Branch leaves orbiculate-ovate, 

 cucullate, squamose at back, minutely fimbriate all round the 

 margin ; chlorophyllose cells triangular in section, placed between 

 the hyaline on inner surface of leaf and crested with papillae 

 where united to them. 



Synon. — Sph. Fortoricense, Hampe, Linnaea, 1852, p. 359. Sullivant, Ic. 

 Muse. p. 3, tab. 2 (1864). Austin, Muse. Appalach. No. i (1870). 

 Sph. Sullivantianutn, Austin, in Amer. Journ. Sei. 1863, p. 252. 



Dioicous ? in large soft tufts, pale fuscous below, pale glaucous 

 green above. Stems 8-14 in. high, stout, simple or bipartite, firm, 

 pale brown ; cuticular cells in 2-3 layers, containing spiral fibres, 

 but few pores. Stem leaves erect or deflexed, auricled, sub- 

 quadrate-ovate, fringed round the entire margin ; upper cells 

 rhomboidal, lower elongated, all without fibres or pores. 



Ramuli 4-5 in a fascicle, 2-3 divergent, arcuato-patent, sub- 

 clavate-fusiform, attenuated at base, the leaves julaceously im- 

 bricated ; pendent branches more slender, lax-leaved. Cuticular 

 cells spirally fibrillose, with few pores, the transverse walls geni- 

 culate downward into the subjacent cells, and usually having a pore 

 at the apex of the bend. 



Leaves of the divergent branches small below, and widely 

 cordate or semicircular, becoming larger above, narrowed at base, 

 the median orbiculate-ovate, squamoso-scabrous at back of the 

 strongly cucullate apex, very narrowly bordered ; all minutely 

 fimbriate throughout} the fibrils of the fringe formed by the com- 

 missural walls of destroyed hyaline cells ; lower hyaline cells 

 elongato-rhomboidal, upper rhombic, with parallel linear papillae 



