DICRANUM. 109 



Setse 2 or more, sometimes as many as 5, from the same 

 perichsetium, rarely single, slender, flexuose, pale yellow ; capsule 

 arcuate, oblong, greenish brown, faintly striate, finally blackish ; 

 lid with a very long and slender beak. Male flower gemmiform, 

 among the tomentum of the stem. 



Hab. Woods in mountain districts, not unfrequent. Fr. late summer. 



One of the finest species of the genus, almost always readily known by its tall 

 lax stems with regularly falcate leaves, larger and longer than in D. scoparium, the 

 only plant with which it is likely to be confused. When in fruit the aggregate capsules 

 on pale slender setae are unmistakeable ; tall barren forms of D. scoparium may 

 occasionally resemble it, but the leaves of that plant are always shorter, and usually 

 less regularly falcate, the areolation rather wider and more pellucid, more distinctly 

 chlorophyllose, looser at base, and the tufts denser. I have however seen forms of 

 D. majus which it is extremely difficult, in the absence of fruit, to separate from 

 D. scoparium. 



D. majus, unlike its near allies, is not a very variable species. 



12. Dicranum fuscescens Turn. (Tab. XVIII. E.). 



Usually robust, 1-4 inches high, dull or yellowish green, 

 tomentose. Leaves rather closely set, more or less secund or 

 sometimes strongly falcato-secund, when dry distinctly crisped, 

 especially the upper ones, from an oblong-lanceolate base 

 gradually narrowed to a long flexuose channelled subula ; nerve 

 somewhat variable in breadth, \-\ width of leaf at base, or some- 

 times wider, closely denticulate at back above, often excurrent 

 in a more or less strongly toothed point ; margin usually strongly 

 denticulate above, but sometimes entire or nearly so, occasionally 

 slightly recurved ; cells at angles lax, quadrate, brown, narrower 

 towards the nerve, forming distinct coloured auricles ; other basal 

 cells elongate, linear, 3-8 times as long as broad, with the cell- 

 walls more or less interrupted by pores ; in the upper part of the 

 leaf base becoming shorter and more or less quadrate, or 

 irregular, angular, at apex often rather larger and elliptical- 

 rhomboid ; upper cells usually very strongly papillose at back, 

 but variable in this respect, and sometimes quite smooth. 

 Capsule on a long rather stout seta, inclined, gibbous, arcuate, 

 greenish brown till ripe, finally reddish brown, striate, when dry 

 and empty sulcate, constricted below the mouth in front; lid 

 longly subulate, oblique. 



Var. /3. falcifolium Braithw. Densely tufted, deep green ; 

 leaves all falcato-secund, shorter and less attenuated above. 



Var. y. congestum Husnot (D. congestum Brid., Braithw. Br. 

 M. Fl.) Leaves broader, the nerve narrower, the subula less 



