ToRTULACEiE.] 280 \Leersia. 



I. LEERSIA ALPISA (Smith) Lifidb. 



Autoicous ; dichotomously branched. Leaves erecto-patent, sub- 

 squarrose, ovato-lanceolate, acuminate, nerve excurrent in a long point. 

 Caps, gymriostomous ; beak of calyptra glabrous. (T. XLII, A.) 



Syn. — Encalypta intermedia Froelich MSS. in herb. Wulfen. 



Encalypta alpina Smith Eng. Bot. t. 1419 (1805). Wahlen. F1. lapp. 312 (1812), FI. 

 carpat. 335 (1814), Fl. suec. 2 ed. ii, 790 (1833) excl. syn. LiNDB. in Act. soc. sc. 

 fenn. a, 269 (1872). 



Encalypta affinis (non Hedw.) Schwaeg. Suppl. I, P. I, 58, t. 16 (1811). Roehl. 

 Deutsch. fl. iii, 53 (1813). Funck Moost. 12, t. 7 (1821). Brid. Bry. univ. i, 143 

 (1826). 



Encalypta ciliata P- alpina Hook. Tayl. Muse. Brit. 35 (1818). Hook. Fl. scot. 128 

 (1821). 



Encalypta ciliata /3. pilifera Hook. Tayl. Muse. br. 2 ed. 63 (1827). Br. flora ii, 18 



(1833). 

 Encalypta commutata Nees Hornsch. Bry. germ, ii, P. I, 46, t. 15, f. 4 (1827). Hueben. 



Muse. germ. 100 (1833). Br. Schimp. Bry. eur. fasc. 4, p. 8, t. 1 (1839). Rabenh. 



Deutsch. kr. fl. ii, S. 3, 170 (1848). C. Muell. Synops. i, 513.(1849). WiLS. Bry. brit. 



141, t. 44 (1849). Schimp. Synops. 285 (i860), 2 ed. 340. Berk. Handb. br. m. 246 



(1863). De Not. Epil. bri. ital. 325 (1869). Milde Bry. siles. 181 (1869). Hobk. 



Syn. br. m. 74 (1873). Juratz. Laubm. oesterr.-ung. 213 (1882). Lesq. James Mosses 



N. Amer. 180 (1884). 



Encalypta lacera De Not. Syllab. 268 (1838). C. Muell. Synops. i, 514 (1849). 



E. caucasica Rupr. in Bull. soc. imp. de nat. Mosc. 1846, p. 521. C. Muell. Synops. i, 

 522. 



Leersia alpina Lindb. Muse, scand. 20 (1879). 



Autoicous ; in dull yellow-green tufts, i in. high, dichotomously 

 branched, radiculose. Lower leaves ovato-lanc, upper from an erect 

 sheathing base, erecto-patent and subsquarrose, elongated, acuminate, 

 cuspidate with the excurrent nerve, subundulate above the base, flat at 

 margin; cells at base lax rufous, the marginal narrow and linear, forming a 

 yellowish limb, above small, opake, but little incrassate, papillose. 

 Perich. bracts shorter, ovate ; seta longish, twisted to the right above, 

 purple, vaginula thick, ovoid ; cal. reaching below capsule, glossy, fus- 

 cescent, with a smooth spadiceous point, irregularly torn at the paler 

 base ; caps, ovato-cylindraceous, straight or curving, fuscous, smooth, 

 glossy, faintly striolate, stomata at base numerous, annulus narrow, the 

 narrow mouth girt by a thin horizontal membrane, peristome none, lid 

 conic, longly rostrate. Male infl. gemmiform, terminal on short, lateral 

 branches, bracts ovato-lanc. apiculate, nerved. 

 Hab. — Crevices of mountain rocks ; rare. Fr. 7 — 8. 



Ben Lawers (Hooker and Greville) ! ! Craigailleach (Wilson) ! Ingleborough {Hooker). 

 Ben Ledi {Holmes 1880) ! 



Var. yS. imberbis Lindb. 



Plants tall, densely tufted ; leaves with the apex subcucullate from the 

 incurved margins, and the nerve vanishing at the rather obtuse point. 

 (T. XLII, B, 8.) 



