34 



THE SPHAGNACE^ OR PEAT-MOSSES OF 





short, slender, appressed to stem ; cuticular cells quadrato-hex- 

 agonal, fibrose, and porose. 



Leaves of divergent branches closely imbricated, ovate-oblong, 

 concave ; the margin inflexed and cucullate at apex, which is more 

 deeply coloured, less obtusely rounded, strongly squamoso-scabrous 

 at back. Cells large, flexuose, the hyaline filled with fibres and 

 having several large foramina ; the chlorophyllose obtusely tri- 

 gonous, projecting between the hyaline on the concave surface of 

 leaf; the internal wall of the hyaline cells, where united to the 

 chlorophyllose, densely crested with prominent transverse, linear, 

 parallel papillae. 



Perichaetia few, placed in the coma ; bracts large, oblong, con- 

 volute, minutely fimbriate at the rounded apex ; cells of the lower 

 third empty, narrow, parenchymatous, above normal, more or less 

 fibrose, with large pores, the internal walls transversely striato- 

 papillose. Capsule moderately exserted, dark brown. Spores 

 ferruginous. Male inflorescence amentiform, on the subinflated 

 apex of the branches of the coma. 



Hab. — Wet mountain heaths and peat-bogs, especially near the sea-coast. 



Europe. — Sweden: Hunneberg Mountain, Westrogothia (Lindberg, 1859); 

 dstanfalla, Nerike (Zetterstedt, i86o), and at Villingsberg with fruit (C. Hartman, 

 1875); below Skiiralid, Riseberga, SkS,ne (Lindberg, 1875). E?igland : Lyth Moss, 

 Westmoreland (Barnes, 1876). 



N. America. — Near Farrago and Manchester, Ocean County, New Jersey, with 

 fruit (Austin, 1862). 



In Sph. Austini the papillae or crest-like elevations on the 

 internal lateral walls of the hyaline cells are transversely linear, 

 and when well developed give a pectinate appearance to the 

 chlorophyllose cells ; but in the Westmoreland plant these are less 

 distinct than usual, and it might thus be confounded with Sph. papil- 

 losum, from which, however, it may be known by a thin transverse 

 section of a branch leaf, in which it will be seen that the chloro- 

 phyllose cells emerge at the ventral surface of the leaf, instead of 

 being enclosed on both sides by the hyaline. Though resembling 

 Sph. papillosum much in habit and colour, it is altogether of softer 

 texture. 



Var. /8. imbricatum (Hornsch.), Lindb. 



Colour darker brown, growing in very dense tufts. Plants very 

 tumid from the crowded fascicles of branches, which are short, 

 tapering at points, with closely imbricated leaves. 



