EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 65 



Ramuli 3-4 in a fascicle, of which 2-3 are arcuato-clivergent, 

 flageUiform, the others deflexed, filiform, appressed to stem ; retort 

 cells elongated, perforated, scarcely recurved. Ramuline leaves 

 erecto-patent, ovato-lanceolate and lanceolate, bidentate and 

 sometimes recurved at apex ; hyaline cells with annular and spiral 

 fibres and numerous large pores ; chlorophyllose cells trigono-com- 

 pressed, nearest the upper surface of leaf 



Capsules in the capitulum or upper fascicles, bracts pale green, 

 the lower ovato-acuminate, upper obovate-oblong, convolute, 

 obtusely pointed, rather densely areolate, without fibres or pores. 



Male plants resembling the female, amentula numerous, 

 elongated, thickish, clavate, ochraceous or brown, the antheridia 

 confined to the terminal portion ; bracts broadly ovate, acuminate. 



Hab. — Shallow bogs on subalpine heaths. Fr. July. 



Europe. — Scandinavia and North Germany, frequent; Black Forest, Thuringia, 

 Styria, and the Alps ; Weissenburg, in tlie Jura, and near Eichstiitt ; Bohemia, at 

 Iserwiese and Elbwiese (Miide). Scotland: Ben Ledi (Dr. Stirton), Ben Lawers, 

 Killin, Stroneuch Rocks in Glen Lyon, Banchory, and Clova (Hunt), near Loch 

 Maree (Boswell). England: Skegglesmere and Dent, Yorkshire (Barnes). 



N. America. — Northern New Jersey to Canada. 



This species stands intermediate between Sph. aciitifolium and 

 Sph. fimbriattim, and has, no doubt, been mistaken for both ; it is a 

 stouter plant than Sph. fimbriatum, with shorter and thicker 

 branches, and the male plant is conspicuous by its clavate in- 

 florescence ; the form of the stem leaf is, however, the distinctive 

 character by which they may always be separated ; this is truncate 

 and fringed only at the apex in Sph. strictum, but in Sph. fim- 

 briatum it is rounded and the fringe runs half-way down the 

 lateral margin. 



From Sph. acutifoliiim in its ordinary state it is also readily 

 known by never having the slightest tinge of red, but a form of 

 that species occurs with the apex of the stem leaves more or less 

 lacerate-toothed ; here the numerous purple male amentula which 

 are generally present suffice to indicate its true place ; it was, 

 however, issued in the Sphag. Brit. Exsic. as Sph. sin'ctum, under 

 42 <5, and appears worthy to rank as a separate variety, which 

 may be named subfinibriatnm. 



The fruit is very rare, and for the specimens figured I am in- 

 debted to the kindness of my friend Professor Lindberg ; Russow 

 states that he has it richly fruiting from Isl. Sagchalin, in Japan. 



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