TORTULA. 185 



Var. fi. subinermis Wils. Slender, leaves rather short, 

 faintly bordered, very shortly mucronate, capsule and seta 

 shorter. 



Hab. Sandy banks, common. The var. $ rare. Fr. summer. 



Although several characters, as described above, are extremely variable, they are 

 not such as are likely to give rise lo any difficulty in identifying this plant, which is 

 readily known both by its leaves and by its capsule, which is extremely long, 

 especially when contrasted with the short stems. The cells are usually rather small 

 and very obscure, but are occasionally larger and more pellucid. The narrow border 

 of linear cells is frequently replaced in the upper part of the leaf by an often wider 

 band of shorter celis almost like those of the rest of the lamina, but paler and more 

 pellucid. For the characters which separate it from the sub-species T. angustata 

 Wils. see below. 



* Tortula angustata Wils. (Barb, subulata var. angustata 

 Schp., Syn.) (Tab. XXVIII. B.). 



Very near T. subulata, but markedly differing in habit. 

 Taller and more slender, \-i inch high, dull green. Leaves long, 

 narrowed, tapering to a narrower, more acute point, border 

 thickened, cartilaginous, of narrow cells, distinct to apex, where 

 it is more strongly toothed. Seta longer and more slender ; 

 capsule paler, more slender and more arcuate; peristome paler, 

 more slender; lid rather longer and more acute. 



Hab. High exposed banks ; rare. Fr. spring. 



Although the above characters are mostly comparative, the plant is very different 

 from typical T. subulata, markedly so in the form of the fruit, and it certainly merits 

 a higher rank than a mere variety ; still it seems best to subordinate it to that species 

 rather than to give it a separate specific position. 



15. Tortula mutica Lindb. (Barbula latifolia B. & S. 

 Schp. Syn., etplur. auct.) (Tab. XXVIII. C). 



Dusky yellowish green, in smooth wide patches or smaller 

 tufts, \-i inch high, slightly branched. Leaves larger and more 

 crowded upwards, forming a terminal cup-shaped rosette, soft, 

 when dry dull brown or blackish, fiexuose and appressed ; 

 broadly spathulate from a narrow base, very obtuse and rounded 

 at apex, margin narrowly recurved in the lower half, plane and 

 undulate above, with the marginal cells a little more obscure or 

 discoloured, often eroded, rough with projecting papillae ; nerve 

 stout, brownish, reaching apex or minutely excurrent, or vanish- 

 ing just below the summit. Basal cells lax, rectangular, the 

 median hyaline, those near the margin usually chlorophyllose, in 



