MEESIA. 279 



incrassate. Seta variable in length, |-i| inches long; capsule 

 oval, gibbous at back, inclined and slightly curved, from an erect 

 tapering neck • lid conical, obtusely pointed. Outer peristome 

 teeth short, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse; much shorter than the 

 processes of the inner. 



Var. ft. alpina Boul. {Meesia alpina Funck). Leaves some- 

 what narrower, acute or sub-acute ; stems usually taller and seta 

 longer ; capsule rather shorter. 



Var. y. minor Boul. (Meesia minor Brid.). Stems short ; 

 leaves short, erect, obtuse, broadly ligulate; capsule and neck 

 shorter. 



Hab. Boggy ground on mountains ; Scotland and North of England ; not 

 common. The vars. /3 and 7 on Ben Lawers. Fr. summer. 



Although a somewhat variable moss, chiefly in the size of its various parts, this 

 species is always a very distinct one, and may readily be known by the form of the 

 capsule and the narrow, ligulate, more or less obtuse leaves, with very thick, broad 

 nerve. The varieties are only the extremes of a series of intermediate forms, and 

 even on normal plants leaves may often be found with the apex somewhat acute or 

 obtusely pointed. 



There are three other European species ; one, M, triquetra, a very fine one, with 

 lanceolate, acute leaves arranged distinctly in three rows, is fairly common over most 

 of the north of Europe, and might possibly be found here. 



64. PALUDELLA Ehrh. 



Stems tall, tomentose below. Leaves in five rows, decurrent , 

 squarrose, cells hexagonal-rounded ', papillose, rectangular at 

 base. Capsule on a long seta, slightly curved from an erect 

 neck, clavate-oblong, smooth. Peristome resembling that of 

 Webera, without cilia. Dioicous. 



A very distinct genus consisting of a single species. 



1. Paludella squarrosa Brid. (Bryum squarrosum L.) 

 (Tab. XXXIX. C). 



In bright yellowish green dense tufts, 2-6 inches high, stems 

 slightly branched, rather stout, strongly tomentose below. Leaves 

 in five ranks, strongly squar rose-recurved, not much altered when 

 dry, longly and narrowly decurrent, ovate-lanceolate from an 

 erect oblong base, acute ; margin narrowly recurved at base, 

 densely serrate above and plane ; nerve narrow, thin, vanishing 

 below apex; cells at base narrowly rectangular, hyaline, above 

 becoming rounded-hexagonal , small, incrassate, chlorophyllose, 



