PHILONOTIS. 293 



of the plants, barren stems alone, or stems possessing only one 

 kind of flower, being often found. I am strongly of opinion 

 that a comparison of a complete series of the European plants 

 would reveal so many slight gradations and such a constant 

 presence of intermediate forms as to render it necessary to group 

 them all round P fontana within the limits of a single species. 

 The study of a considerable number and a wide variety of British 

 forms has confirmed this opinion, but I have not had the oppor- 

 tunity of studying a sufficiently large number of the continental 

 plants to feel justified in making so great a change from the usual 

 arrangement. Boulay, it is true, in his Muscin^es de la France, 

 has suggested and indeed carried out this view, but since the 

 publication of that work many new forms have been found, and 

 new light thrown on the older ones by their discovery in the fruit- 

 ing state. In the absence of fruit, or of fruiting characters of 

 importance, I attach most weight to the form of the perigonial 

 leaves, and I have thought it better, in default of this latter 

 character, to unite with P fontana as sub-species, such forms as 

 appear (like P. adpressa) too distinct in their foliar organs to rank 

 as mere varieties.] 



3. Philonotis fontana Brid. (Mnium fontanum L.) 

 (Tab. XL. J.). 



In its typical form growing in tall, wide tufts, loose above, 

 but closely interwoven below with tomentum, usually yellowish 

 green, but not unfrequently of a pale glaucous green. Plant 

 slender, 1-6 inches high or more, occasionally forked, usually 

 producing several branches below the flowers, stem fragile, red. 

 Leaves ovate-lanceolate, more or less longly acuminate, usually 

 ■very slightly turned to one side, appressed when dry ; generally 

 ■with 1-2 more or less distinct plicae on each side of the nerve, 

 margin usually distinctly revolute (one side generally more 

 strongly than the other, or one side only), denticulate, often in two 

 rows with the papillae and the transverse walls of the cells. Nerve 

 rather strong, smooth or only lightly papillose at back, usually 

 more or less excurrent, especially in the upper leaves ; cells 

 rectangular, towards the base rather loosely so, gradually narrower 

 above, the median about 6-10 p. wide, in the acumen narrowly 

 linear-vermicular ; all somewhat incrassate and more or less 

 strongly papillose at one or both ends. Leaves of the male stems 

 more distant, appressed to stem, smaller, less acutely acuminate, 

 with a shorter nerve. Seta dark red, f-i£ inches long ; capsule 

 large, brown, thick-walled, striate, when dry sulcate, often slightly 



