MOSSES WITH A HAND-LENS Iig. 



is often hard to separate the two. In this species, however, the 

 branching is irregular and the leaves do not have the peculiar 

 braided look of the preceding. 



HypNUM REPTILE Mx. is another regularly early pinnate moss 

 of this group, but it is less than half the size of the three described 

 above. Its general appearance is also fairly well represented in Fig. 

 51 b, but the capsules are longer and more curved. With a lens 

 the leaves of the Thuidium will be seen to be acute and straight, 

 while those of the Hypituiii are curved and long acuminate. The 

 Thuidium grows in thin mats so that its pinnate character is 

 easily seen at a glance; the Hypnum grows in such 

 densely interwoven mats that it is often necessary to disen- 

 tangle it before its pinnate character becomes apparent. Hyp- 

 num reptile matures its capsules much earlier than any of the 

 three other species mentioned above. They are usually fully 

 ripe in August, and when dry and empty the mouth becomes 

 oblique, almost as much so as in Dicranclla heteromalla. 

 Even if the capsules dry with the lid on, the mouth takes the 

 oblique position strongly enough to be noticed. This obliquity 

 of the mouth is not clearly shown in the figure. 



Amblystegium adnatum (Hedw.) J. & S. is another 

 species resembling H. reptile and often associated with it, es- 

 pecially on the bases of trees, btit the leaves are not curved and 

 the capsules are nearly straight and sub-erect. 



H. Haldanianum Grev., the Common Hypnum, is almost 

 sure to be found in any moist shady place where decaying wood 

 is present, covering the unsightly masses of rotten wood with 

 its upholstery of bright green. Occasionally it grows on soil 

 rich in humus. It is one of our commonest mosses and nearly 

 always fruits freely. 



The Common Hypnum in appearance is very little like the 

 species previously described ; the leaves are straight and equally 

 spreading on all sides, not secund. When mounted and examined 

 with a high-power lens the abruptly enlarged cells at the basal 

 angles are very conspicuous and render the determination cer- 

 tain. The capsules are cylindrical and somewhat curved, much 

 like those of the Pinnate Hypnum, only larger. They mature in 



Plate XXXIII. Hypmnn Haldanidnum X 2; branch X 5: capsule X 

 10. 6, 7, 8, and 11. I,eaves. 7b. Ease of leaf showing enlarged cells at 

 basal angles. iS. Paraphyllia (too small to be seen with the lens.) (Leaf 

 drawings from Bry. Eur.). 



