108 DICRANACE/E. 



Var. 8. spadiceum Boul. (vars. alpestre and turfosum, 

 Braithw. Br. M. Fl.). In dense tufts ; leaves erecto-patent, more 

 or less appressed and rigid when dry ; varying in length and 

 acumination, entire and smooth at back abovej or faintly denticu- 

 late, canaliculate or tubular in the upper part. 



Hab. Woods, heaths, etc. Common. The var. j3 in bogs, not common. Var. 

 y on heaths, frequent. Var. 8 on moorland heaths and rocks and in mountain 

 woods, not common. Fr. late summer. 



The various forms of this common species defy description, and I have selected 

 those alone which have the most salient points ; but the student will find many 

 intermediate forms, the naming of which would be found difficult, and will probably 

 be far better not attempted. 



Under the head of var. spadiceum Boulay has united the various forms with 

 erect, almost or quite entire leaves, the most distinct of which are described by Braith- 

 waite under the heads of var. alpestre Hiibn. and var. turfosum Milde ; these 

 although differing in habit are much alike in form and structure of leaf, and together 

 constitute a well-marked variety, which has been by many authors ranked as a 

 separate species (D. spadiceum Zett. ) It connects the present species with D. 

 fuscescens through the smooth-leaved vars. of that plant ; I have indeed seen specimens 

 which it is very hard to separate from forms of D. fuscescens var. congestum except by 

 the rather more elongated cells with the upper cell-walls somewhat porose. It comes 

 also extremely near D. molle, and some forms can hardly be distinguished from that 

 plant except by the porose upper cell-walls and rather wider upper areolation. 



On the other hand, through the var. paludosum, D. scoparium is closely linked 

 with D. Bonjeani ; indeed Roll, in an interesting discussion on the forms of these 

 two species ( Hedwigia, 1893, pp. 198, sqq.) states that in N. America so many 

 intermediate forms are found that it is quite impossible to refer certain barren plants 

 without doubt to either species, and all that can be done is to refer the forms with 

 more narrowly acuminate, often falcate leaves and rather longer upper areolation, to 

 D. scoparium, and those with the contrary characters to D. Bonjeani. The forms of 

 D. scoparium however with undulated leaves are rare, and may usually be recognised 

 by their longer finer points more strongly toothed at the back. When in fruit it may 

 be recognised by its firmer, red seta, and reddish brown capsules, but even these 

 characters are occasionally found in D. Bonjeani. 



11. Dicranum majus Turn. (Tab. XVIII. D.). 



Very tall and robust, 2-5 inches high, the stems tomentose, 

 only loosely coherent above, glossy yellowish or deep green, 

 slender, prostrate below and ascending. Leaves very long (3-5 

 lines), not crowded, always regularly falcato-secund, hardly 

 altered when dry, from a broad half-amplexicaul concave base 

 gradually narrowed to a long canaliculate subula, not transversely 

 undulate, the lamina distinct to the apex ; nerve narrow, vanish- 

 ing in the point, with several rows of teeth in the upper part at 

 back; margin strongly toothed above ; angular cells lax, quadrate, 

 brown, next the nerve thinner and paler ; above linear- rectangular, 

 5-8 times as long as broad, very similar to apex but shorter and 

 smaller in the upper part ; all with the walls very porose, giving 

 a sinuose outline to the cell ; rather obscure, smooth at back. 



