PoLYTRiCHACE^.J 55 [Polytnchum. 



Dioicous; laxly casspitose, glaucous green above, fuscescent below; 

 rhizome subterranean, flexuose, branched and densely tomentose. 

 Stems short, i in. high, erect, simple, naked below; lower leaves very 

 small, ovate, appressed, upper suddenly larger, erecto-patent, when dry 

 imbricated and forming a clavate penicillate head, from an ovate, 

 coloured, sheathing base, elongato-lanceolate, the wings inflexed, 

 connivent, entire, with wide rectangular areolation, the apex smooth at 

 back ; the nerve prolonged into a serrate hoary hair-like arista ; lamellae 

 low, about 32, each in section of a row of 4 — 6 cells, the marginal one 

 larger, with a large papilla at apex, and hence somewhat cruciate. 

 Perich. bracts lineal-lingulate, erect, very concave, innermost thin, 

 without lamellae, all longly aristate. Seta purple. Calyptra reaching 

 below capsule, fulvous with paler fringe. Capsule tetragono — ovate, 

 erect, cernuous when dry, finally horizontal, pachydermous, pale brown ; 

 hypophysis narrow, conoid, purple; lid depresso — conic, shortly 

 rostellate, orange or red. Teeth 64, shortish, regular, with an orange 

 median line. Spores very small, ferruginous. 



Male plants have leaves more lax, with shorter awns; inflor. rosy 

 purple, orange or green, bracts obcordate, apiculate, lamellose at apex. 

 Hab. — On dry heaths ; very common. Fr. 5 — 6. 



Pol. Hoppei HoRNSCH. is an alpine form with Ungulate leaves, long very 

 rough hair-points and cubic capsules. Pol. hyperhoymm R. Br. appears to be 

 a good species, confined to arctic Europe and America, having the leaf cells, 

 three times the size of those of P. piliforum and the capsule leptodermous and 

 flattened as in P. commune. 



9. POLYTRICHUM JUNIPERINUM WilU. 



Dioicous ; gregarious, glaucescent. Leaves patulous and sub- 

 recurved, lineal-lanceolate, the wings inflexed, entire, nerve excurrent 

 in a short reddish awn. Capsule tetragono-prismatic, pachydermous ; 

 lid plano-convex, rostellate. (T. VIII, B.) 



Syn. — Adiantum aureum pileolo villoso, medium Ray Syn. Stirp. Br. 2 ed. 28 (i6g6). 



Polytrichum montanum et minus, capsula qurdrangulari Dill. cat. giss. 221 (1719) ; et in 



Ray Syn. 3 ed. 90 (1724). 

 Fol. quadrangulare juniferi foliis brevioribus et rigidioribus Dill. Hist. Muse. 424, t. 54, 



f. 2 (1741). 



Pol. commune var. /3. L. Sp. PI. ii, 1109, p.p. (i7S3)- Hues. F1. Angl. 400 (1762). Var. /3. 



mJMMi Weiss Crypt, gott. 171, p.p. (1770). Neck. Meth. muse. 125 (1771). With. 



Bot. arr. Br. Veg. ii, 662 (1776). Lightf. 700 (1777). Relh. F1. Cant. 397 (1785). 

 Pol. commune— juniferifolium Ehrh. in Hann. Mag. 235 (1780). 

 Pol.juniperinumVfiLi.J>. Fl. berol. prodr. 305 (1787). Roth. F1. germ i, 457 (1788), etiii, 348. 



Brid. Muse. rec. ii, P. I, 83 (1792) ; Sp. muse. 1, 47 (1806) ; Mant. muse. 194 (i8ig) ; Bry. 



univ. ii, 136 (1827). Sibth. Fl. oxon. 306 (1794). Abbot Fl.bedf. 232 (1798). MENZ.Tr. 



Linn. Soc. iv, 76, t. 6, f. 4 (1798). Swartz Muse. suee. 77 {1798). ROhl. Moosg. Deuts. 



170 (i8co) ; Deutsch fl. iii, 57 (1812) ; Ann. Wett. ges. iii, 215 (1814). Hedw. Sp. muse. 



