ENCALYPTA. 229 



marginal much narrower in a few rows, forming a border which 

 is often yellowish ; the upper larger, more distinct and more 

 pellucid than in the last (about 15 /*), hexagonal-quadrate, usually 

 regularly seriate, very papillose. Seta red. Calyptra covering 

 all capsule, incurved at base which is entire or only shortly lobed, 

 scabrous at apex and sometimes below. Capsule smooth, 

 resembling that of the last, when dry and empty faintly plicate ; 

 peristome wanting or of short, very fragile and fugacious teeth. 

 Autoicous. 



Hab. Walls and banks, frequent. Fr. late spring. 



Many varieties have been described of this moss, chiefly founded upon the 

 presence or absence of a peristome and the form of the leaf-apex. The former is, 

 however, a most uncertain character, and its presence does not appear to be correlated 

 with any particular form of leaf ; and as almost every degree of obtuseness and of 

 acuteness is found in the latter, it does not seem worth while to found varieties on a 

 single character which at best can be ill-defined ; the following are the most important 

 forms : — Var. pilifera, leaves terminating in a long cuspidate point formed by the 

 lamina or the excurrent nerve ; var. obtusifolia, leaves rounded and obtuse, concave 

 above, nerve vanishing ; var. lavigata, leaves apiculate, calyptra hardly papillose. 

 The peristome even when present is very difficult to find, being extremely fugacious, 

 and it is probable that even when apparently wanting its absence is due, in some 

 cases at least, to the adhesion of the teeth to the interior of the lid, which carries them 

 away when it separates. 



When in fruit there is no difficulty in identifying E. vulgaris, the smooth 

 capsule and entire calyptra separating it from all the species but the preceding, which is 

 quite different in the form of the leaves and areolation. E. streftocarpa is known by 

 the nerve scabrous at back near apex, the longer leaves and far more robust habit. 



The nerve and cell walls at the base of the leaf are sometimes red ; but not so 

 highly nor so constantly so as in the other species. 



3. Encalypta ciliata Hoffm. (Leersia ciliata Hedw. ; Leersia 

 laciniata Hedw. ; Braithw. Br. M. Fl.) (Tab. XXXIII. B.). 



About 1 inch high, bright green. Leaves rather large, i|-2| 

 lines long, broadly Ungulate or obovate-oblong, rounded at apex 

 and apiculate, spreading ; incurved and crisped when dry ; slightly 

 undulate towards the margin, which is narrowly recurved about 

 the middle; nerve yellowish, rather glossy at back when dry, 

 vanishing below the apiculus or excurrent in a short mucro ; basal 

 cells lax, hyaline, rectangular, with red walls, the marginal 

 narrower and paler in several rows, less distinct however than is 

 usual in the foregoing species; above the cells are similar to 

 those of E. vulgaris, opaque, with distinct, pellucid walls, highly 

 papillose. Seta yellowish or pale red. Calyptra straw-coloured, 

 with an everted rim at base, fringed with narrow, often spreading 

 lacinias, smooth at apex. Capsule cylindric, greenish brown, 

 finally pale reddish brown, smooth, contracted below the mouth 

 when dry, with a short indistinct neck. Peristome single, teeth 



