EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 



49 



pendent, less elongated, not appressed to stem, the retort cells 

 perforated at the slightly recurved apex. Leaves of the divergent 

 branches laxly incumbent or patent, more or less secund and 

 subfalcat:e at apex, broadly elliptic, acuminate, very concave, with 

 the margin involute in the upper half, narrowly bordered, the point 

 with 3-5 small teeth ; hyaline cells very small, flexuose, elongated, 

 with annular and spiral fibres, and numerous minute pores in a row 

 at each margin ; chlorophyllose cells enclosed by the hyaline, 

 central, strongly compressed. 



Fruit usually seated in the capitulum ; perichsetial bracts laxly 

 imbricated, elongate oblong, acuminate, fibrose, and with a few 

 pores in the upper part. Spores ferruginous. 



Male plants more slender, in istinct tufts ; the amentula short, 

 olive green or rufescent ; the bracts broadly ovate, acute, with 

 incurved bordered margins. 



Hab. — Wet heaths and ditches. Fr. July. 



Europe. — Generally dijiributed, but not very frequent ; Scandinavia, Germany, 

 Silesia, Belgium ; Westmoreland, Skeggles Water (Barnes), Bowness (Hunt), Devon- 

 shire (Holmes) 



N. America. — Not common. 



Sph. subsecundtim grows in loose tufts, which are often of great 

 size, and is chiefly remarkable for the multiplicity of forms under 

 which it presents itself as well as for the variety of hues with which 

 these are tinted, embracing deep green, every shade of yellow, 

 ochraceous or brownish green, and various tints of claret colour. 

 The typical form of the species appears to be the most uncommon, 

 and is also rare in fruit. 



Protean as this plant undoubtedly is, there need never be any 

 difficulty in its determination, for it is the only European species 

 with a single layer of cuticular cells to the stem ; the latter is 

 generally of a very dark brown or black colour, and shines con- 

 spicuously through the branches when in a moist state. 



Var. /3. contorttcm (Schultz), Schimp. 



Robust, more or less immersed, yellowish green, tinged 

 generally with claret colour, ferruginous, ochraceous, or oliva- 

 ceous. Ramuli crowded, terete, the upper usually more or less 

 circinate. 



Stem leaves large, fibrose. Branch leaves very large and 

 broad, closely imbricated, not secund, or slightly so when dry, 



