296 BARTRAMIACE/E. 



crowded) spirally imbricated both wet and dry, rather long, 

 falcate, often widely pointed, plicate; nerve very strong, red, 

 strongly papillose at back, not much excurrent ; fruit and male 

 inflorescence as in P.fontana. 



Hab. Springs and bogs ; Scotland, very rare, sterile. Fr. summer. 



The peculiar arrangement of the leaves, forming, in the more typical specimens, 

 distinct spiral ridges on the stems both in the wet and dry state, is the most obvious 

 characteristic of this plant, and gives it a marked facies under the lens, which is how- 

 ever less visible where the leaves are more distant. The long, rather narrow leaves 

 and very strong papillose nerve are also characteristic. Husnot considers P. seriata 

 a form intermediate between P. fontana and its var. falcata. The latter variety has 

 no doubt included, and was probably intended to include forms which would now be 

 termed P. seriata ; but it would surely be more accurate to say that the forms with 

 spirally twisted leaves and thick, papillose nerve, hitherto included under P. fontana 

 var. falcata must now be separated and transferred to P. seriata, so long as the latter 

 is held to deserve independent or sub-specific rank ; the var. falcata being restricted 

 to forms of P. fontana with falcate leaves, wanting the special characters above 

 described. 



4. Philonotis calcarea Schp. (Tab. XLI. C). 



Usually a more robust plant than the stoutest forms of P. 

 fontana, of a vivid bright or pale green, rarely brownish or 

 yellowish green. Leaves larger, longer, more regularly falcato- 

 secund, with a stouter nerve, margin usually widely revolute only 

 on one side, areolation larger and wider, about 10-15 /* at middle, 

 less incrassate and more pellucid, papillose ; leaves of male plant 

 less crowded, but otherwise little differing. Capsule large, re- 

 sembling that of P. fontana. Perigonial bracts acute, much 

 longer than broad, nerve distinct, reaching apex. 



Hab. Bogs in calcareous districts ; not uncommon. Fruit rare, summer. 



In its typical and most common form the colour and size of this species readily 

 distinguish it from P. fontana, and the strong nerve and laxer areolation, rendering 

 the leaf more pellucid, are also characteristic, as are also the length and direction of 

 the leaves. I have, however, found plants with much more slender stems, and with 

 the leaves in size and direction exactly as in P. fontana, the bright green colour and 

 the nerve and areolation alone (besides the calcareous habitat) showing them to 

 belong to this species ; and forms not unfrequently occur, principally alpine, which in 

 size, colour, and areolation are somewhat intermediate between the two species. The 

 perigonial bracts, however, appear to be constant in their form and acuteness, and are 

 probably to be relied on as a good specific character. 



5. Philonotis capillaris Lindb. {P. fontana var. capillaris 



Braithw. Br. M. Fl.) (Tab. XLI. D.). 



Very small, %-2 inches high, stems extremely slender, 

 almost capillary, slightly branched, often procumbent, bright or 

 pale green; hardly radiculose. Leaves very small, uniform 



