194 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH MOSSES. 



Mitten distinguishes a species from this, under the name of 

 B. rubens, with more elliptic leaves, a clavato-oblong sporan- 

 gium, and large short conical acute lid. He does not say 

 whether he has found it in England, but he suspects it may- 

 be the same with B. radiculosum, Brid., which is Wilson's 

 var. j3. 



13. E. atro-purpureum, Web. fy Mohr ; dioicous; stein 

 radiculose; leaves lanceolate and ovato-acuminate, entire, 

 loosely imbricated above; nerve slightly excurrent; margiu 

 reflexed below; sporangium oval or oval-oblong, constricted 

 below the mouth.— Hook, fy Wils. t.\.; {Moug. fyNest. n. 832.) 



On walls, dry pastures, etc. Bearing fruit in early summer. 



Diners from the last in the shorter thicker sporangia, 

 and the broader, shorter, subimbricated leaves. Sporangia 

 deep-red or purplish when ripe. The character, from the 

 degree of reflexion of the margin of the leaf, is, I fear, not 

 constant. As Bryum apiculatum, Wils., has not yet been found 

 in fruit, it is perhaps better to omit it. 



14. B. alpinum, L. ; dioicous; densely tufted. Stem simple, 

 radiculose at the very base ; leaves crowded, imbricated, erecto- 

 patent, straight, more or less lanceolate; nerve rigid, excur- 

 rent; sporangium pendulous, oblongo-pyriform, constricted 

 below the mouth when dry. — Hook, fy Wils. t. xxviii. ; Eng. 

 Bot. t. 1623. ; {Moug. Sf Nest. n. 221.) 



On moist mountain-rocks, and near the sea. Bearing fruit 

 in summer. 



Forming dense purplish tufts. Leaves straight when dry ; 

 margin recurved ; nerve forming a short apiculus ; sporangium 

 red ; lid maramillary. 



15. B. Muhlenbeckii, Br. fy Schimp. ; dioicous; csespitose. 

 Stem dichotomously branched, densely radiculose; leaves 

 suberect, imbricated, ovate or oblong, elongated, gradually 



