278 MEESIACEiE. 



1. Amblyodon dealbatus P. Beauv. (Bryum dealbatum 

 Dicks.) (Tab. XXXIX. F.). 



Stems £-1 inch high, slightly branched ; leaves more or less 

 crowded in comal tufts, longly ovate-lanceolate or oblong- 

 lanceolate, shortly pointed ; when dry slightly twisted, glossy ; of 

 thin texture, entire or slightly denticulate above ; margin plane ; 

 cells lax, resembling those of Funaria, lower rectangular, thin, 

 pellucid, upper hexagonal-rectangular, thin-walled, smooth; 

 nerve very strong, sometimes half the width of the leaf at base, 

 narrowing upwards and vanishing below apex. Seta red, 1^-2 

 inches long; capsule oval-cylindrical, gibbous at back, curved, 

 when dry arcuate , from a narrow, tapering, erect neck, reddish 

 brown, smooth ; lid conical, obtuse ; calyptra narrow, fugacious, 

 annulus narrow ; outer teeth reddish, linear, variable in length, 

 sometimes only half as long as the pale yellow inner peristome. 



Hab. Boggy places usually in alpine and sub-alpine districts, not common. Fr. 

 summer. 



The smooth, curved and oblique, asymmetrical capsule with tapering neck, is not 

 like that of any others of our mosses except Meesia and I'aludella ; the similar species 

 of Splachnacese having erect fruits, those of Funaria smaller and wider capsules on 

 shorter sete, and usually striate, with different peristome, while Aulacomnium is 

 separated by its striated fruit and small areolation ; the latter character and the 

 narrow, Ungulate leaves easily distinguish Meesia trichoides, which in fruiting 

 characters much resembles the present species ; the capsule is however a little shorter 

 and wider, and less curved, than in our plant. 



63. MEESIA Hedw. 



Stems short or tall, leaves in 3-8 rows, with a thick nerve ; 

 cells rather small, smooth, rectangular or rectangular-hexagonal , 

 Seta long, capsule as in Amblyodon ; male inflorescence discoid. 



1. Meesia trichoides Spruce (Bryum trichoides L. ; Meesea 



trichodes Spr., Braithw. Br. M. Fl. ; Meesia uliginosa Hedw., 



Schp. Syn. et plur. auct.) (Tab. XXXIX. B.). 



In dense, pale green tufts, radiculose below. Leaves in 8 

 rows, the upper longest, linear, or ligulate-lanceolate , at apex 

 rounded and obtuse; when dry erect, hardly twisted, shining; 

 margin revolute, entire, nerve very strong and thick, occupying 

 the greater part of the lower half the leaf, vanishing just below 

 apex ; cells at base linear, 4-6 times as long as broad, similar in 

 form but gradually shorter upwards, a few at apex hardly longer 

 than broad ; all small, narrow, smooth, with the walls slightly 



