94 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH MOSSES. 



ovate, acuminate, serrulate; nerve reaching more than half- 

 way ; fruitstalk even ; sporangium oval, cernuous ; lid acutely 

 rostrate. — Hook. $ Wils. t. xxvi. ; Eng. Bot. t. 2407. ; {Moug. 

 % Nest. n. 1316.) 



On stones, shady walls, trunks of trees, etc. Not uncom- 

 mon. Bearing fruit in winter and early spring. 



Monoicous ; forming short, flattish, bright green patches ; 

 stem creeping, slightly divided ; the branches more or less pin- 

 nate; leaves spreading or flattened, and somewhat secund, 

 ovate, acuminate, slightly serrate, nerve reaching more than 

 halfway ; fruitstalk even, not half an inch high ; sporangium 

 small, ovate, cernuous ; lid with a slender awl-shaped beak as 

 long as the sporangium. 



Eng. Bot. t. 2553 and t. 1262 represent the complanate 

 state of the plant which has occurred both in England and 

 - Scotland. 



28. H. megapolitantim, Bland.; stem creeping; branchlets 

 irregularly branched ; leaves broadly ovate, acuminate, more 

 or less serrate, nerve reaching more than halfway ; fruitstalk 

 even ; sporangium oblong, curved, cernuous ; lid rostrate. — 

 Hook, ty Wils. p. 356, under H. confertum. 



On sandy banks. Sussex. Mr. Mitten. Bearing fruit in 

 spring. 



The loose, straggling, stouter habit, much larger size, more 

 broadly ovate leaves, almost cordate at the base but more 

 acuminate above, and oblong sporangium, seem to justify 

 Schimper in keeping this species distinct, of which, however, 

 I have seen no specimens. The areolation of the leaves is 

 also said to be looser. 



29. H. depressum, Bruch ; stem prostrate, much depressed ; 

 branches pinnate; leaves bifarious, ovate or ovato-oblong, 

 slightly serrate, two-nerved at the base; fruitstalk even; 



