DICRANELLA. 83 



dry ; nerve narrow, reaching to apex but not excurrent ; margin 

 plane, remotely and bluntly denticulate in the upper half ; cells 

 larger than in any of the previous species, with thinner walls, at 

 base elongate-rectangular or sometimes prosenchymatous with 

 oblique end walls, 6-8 times as long as broad, or longer, above 

 similar, but rather narrower, occasionally rhomboid. Seta thin, 

 red, twisting to the left when dry ; capsule very small, erect or 

 very slightly inclined, shortly elliptical, tapering at base, wide- 

 mouthed when empty, smooth; lid acutely conical or rostellate. 

 Peristome large, red ; teeth spreading when dry. 



Hab. Wet clay and bare ground in woods, &c. Frequent. Fr. autumn. 



The smallest of the genus, usually recognised by its vinous red tint, and always 

 turning red in. drying. The plane-margined denticulate leaves distinguish it from D. 

 varia, which almost always, also, has the capsule inclined. The pellucid leaves and 

 smooth erect wide-mouthed capsule easily separate it from £>. curvata and others of 

 the genus. The same remark applies to this plant, with regard to the male 

 inflorescence, as was made under D. heteromalla. 



7. Dicranella varia Schp. (Dicranum varium Hedw. ; 



Anisothecium rubrum Lindb., Braithw. Br. M. Fl.) 



(Tab. XV. G.). 



Densely gregarious or tufted, bright or yellowish green ; 

 stems short, divided below. Leaves resembling those of the last 

 species, but hardly secund, larger, with the margin narrowly 

 revolute, quite entire or faintly sinuose-denticulate at apex ; 

 cells similar in shape but smaller and narrower, especially the 

 upper ones. Capsule larger, on a longer seta, twisting to the 

 right, cernuous, ovate or oblong, curved, finally contracted below 

 the wide mouth, smooth ; lid large, rostellate ; peristome large, 

 purple, teeth incurved when dry. 



Var. /?. tenuifolia B. & S. Leaves more distant, longer, 

 narrower, nerve thin and indistinct, areolation thin, looser ; 

 margin denticulate above. 



Var. y. tenella Schp. Slender ; leaves usually falcate, 

 narrower, areolation thinner, laxer, margin hardly recurved, 

 remotely denticulate. 



Var. 8. callistoma Schp. (Bryum callistomum Dicks.) Stem 

 branched; seta short, capsule minute, erect, obovate, truncate ; 

 lid widely conical, almost as large as capsule. 



Hab. Damp clay fields, woods, etc. Common. The var. j8 rarer. The var. 8 

 in more mountainous districts. Fr. autumn and winter. 



