PHASCUM. 165 



Capsule immersed or hardly exserted, sub-globose or oval with a 

 small apiculus. Columella perfect. Male flowers axillary. 



/Capsule immersed, or slightly emergent only 2 



\Capsule exserted on a curved seta j. curvkolk 



2 /Plant green ; Is. oblong-lanceolate 1. cuspidatum 



\Plant brownish ; Is. ovate-acuminate 3. Flarkeanum 



1. Phascum cuspidatum Schreb. (P. acaulon L. ; Braithw., 

 Br. M. Fl.) (Tab. XXV. D.). 



Densely tufted ; minute, but larger than the other species of 

 this genus, or of the last ; deep green; stems about 1 line high, 

 occasionally taller, sometimes forked. Leaves crowded, erect, 

 gradually larger upwards, the upper oblong-lanceolate, narrowed 

 to apex, carinate, somewhat twisted when dry ; nerve excurrent 

 in a point of variable length ; margin entire, revolute towards 

 the middle ; areolation lax and hyaline at the base, rectangular ; 

 above hexagonal and sub-quadrate, finely papillose at back. 

 Capsules single, or two or three together, on straight'or arcuate 

 pedicels of varying length, immersed or very slightly emergent, 

 roundish with an obtuse apiculus; calyptra conical, cucullate ; 

 spores moderately large, finely granulated. 



Var. /?. piliferum Hook. & Tayl. (P piliferum Schreb.). 

 Smaller, leaves shorter, reddish, piliferous with the longly 

 excurrent nerve. Capsule large, immersed. 



Var. 7. Schreberianum Brid. (P. Schreberianum Dicks.). 

 Tall, several times branched; leaves longer, the uppermost 

 spreading ; capsule slightly emergent. 



Var. 8. curvisetum Nees & Hornsch. (P. curvisetum Dicks.). 

 Tall ; often divided ; capsule emerging laterally on an arcuate 

 seta. 



Hab. Clay banks, waste places, and fallow fields. Very common. The vars. 

 more rare. Fr. early spring. 



An extremely variable plant in size, habit, and other points. The var. piliferum 

 is perhaps the best characterised and most stable variety, the other two are rather 

 the extreme forms each of a more or less connected series of gradations, many of 

 which may be seen on the same tuft, or even on the same plant. The var. piliferum 

 grows on sandy soil in dry places, usually near the sea, and has the hair-points not 

 unfrequently hyaline and hoary. It was considered a species by Schreber, and even 

 several varieties of it have been described. 



P. cuspidatum, in addition to other characters mentioned under Acaulon muticum, 

 may usually be known from that species by the leaves being more or less twisted 

 when dry. It is more common than any of the allied species, and usually grows in 

 greater quantities and in more crowded tufts. 



