34 POLYTRICHACEyE. 



1. Catharinea undulata Web. and Mohr. (Bryum undulatum 

 L., Atrichum undulatum P. Beauv., Schp. Syn.) (Tab. IX. D.) 



Plants in loose patches, dull green, in open dry spots 

 yellowish ; stems erect, 1-2 inches high, simple or bifid, from a 

 much branched, rooting, underground rhizome ; leaves very small 

 below, scale-like, gradually longer above, in the upper part very 

 longly Ungulate, strongly (transversely) undulate, chiefly in the 

 upper half, much crisped and incurved when dry, flexuose and 

 patulous when moist, acute or somewhat obtuse, bordered with a 

 narrow, distinct margin of 2-3 rows of very narrow, brownish, 

 cartilaginous cells, sharply spinose for the greater part of its 

 length with strong teeth, usually in pairs ; the surface of the leaf 

 also, at the back, in the upper half and especially near the apex, 

 is beset with somewhat similar spines, usually in transverse rows, 

 on the crests of the undulations ; nerve vanishing in the apex of 

 the leaf, sharply spinulose at back above ; areolation rather large, 

 chlorophyllose, in the upper part of the leaf hexagonal or elliptic- 

 hexagonal (with the longer axis transverse to the direction of the 

 leaf, i.e., broader than long), gradually becoming larger and 

 quadrate below, elongate-rectangular at the base. Lamellae 3-6, 

 straight, the upper margin very bluntly notched ; in section each of 

 3 to 5 nearly equal, smooth, rounded cells. Inflorescence paroi- 

 cous. Male flower terminating the first year's stem, the axis of 

 which is subsequently prolonged, and next year produces a ter- 

 minal fertile flower. Perichaetial bracts longer and narrower, but 

 otherwise resembling the leaves. Seta erect, flexuose, reddish 

 brown, i-ij inches long, often two or more together from the 

 sameperichaetium ; capsule cylindrical, variable in length, strongly 

 arcuate and inclined, brown, thick-walled, lid subulate, curved, 

 almost as long as the capsule. Calyptrapale, covering about one- 

 third of the capsule. Teeth of peristome long, lanceolate, obtuse, 

 the median line orange, the edges pale, basal membrane reddish. 



Var. /3. minor W. and Mohr. Stem short, leaves short, 

 less undulated. Capsule shorter, suberect, unequal, on a shorter 

 pedicel. 



Var. y. Haussknechtii Dixon (Catharinea Haussknechtii 

 Broth., Braithw. Br. M. Fl., Vol. II. Suppl. ; Atrichum Hauss- 

 knechtii Jur. and Milde). 



Resembling C. undulata very closely, but more slender, in 

 looser tufts, \-\ inch high, the leaves somewhat more shortly and 

 obtusely pointed, the spines at back smaller. Inflorescence 

 terminal, paroicous or perhaps rather synoicous ; antheridia 



