312 BRYACE/E. 



of leaf, sometimes forked, reddish : cells large, hexagonal- 

 rhomboid, thin-walled, the marginal in several rows much 

 narrower, forming a wide, distinct, reddish border. Seta short, 

 soft, pale red ; capsule sub-pendulous or horizontal, obovate with 

 a short neck, small, when dry and empty shortly and widely 

 pyriform with a wide mouth, annulus broad, sub-persistent ; 

 peristome small, pale yellowish brown, the inner thin, with 

 short cilia. Dioicous. Male flowers terminal, sub-discoid. 



Hab. South of England, banks and sides of streams ; rare. Fruit very rare, 

 spring. 



A very pretty and distinct plant, which appears to have its headquarters in the 

 Mediterranean region, and is only found in our most southern counties. It has an 

 aspect not unlike some small forms of Mnium, and also resembles certain species of 

 Bryum ; the truly Bryoid cells will distinguish it from the former genus, and from the 

 latter the broad distinct margin at once separates it. 



76. PLAGIOBRYUM Lindb. 



Densely tufted, leaves closely imbricated, with lax areolation. 

 Capsule on a short almost cygneous seta, very long-necked, 

 gibbous, -with the mouth oblique. Peristome almost as in Webera. 



A small genus of mosses of distinct habit and with the 

 capsule gibbous and unequal with an oblique mouth. 



/ Ls. widely ovate, closely imbricate ; nerve not excurrent i. Zierii 



\Ls. oblong-lanceolate, less imbricate ; nerve excurrent z. demissum 



1. Plagiobryum Zierii Lindb. (Bryum Zierii Dicks., plur. 

 auct. ; Zieria julacea Schp., Syn.) (Tab. XLII. J.). 



In small, close, soft tufts, silvery green or whitish above, pale 

 vinous pink below ; %-2 inches high ; stems short, with numerous 

 fastigiate julaceous branches. Leaves densely imbricated, erect 

 with the points recurved, little altered when dry, thin, very con- 

 cave, rounded-oval or oval-oblong, shortly and sharply acuminate 

 or cuspidate, margin plane, entire or sub-entire, nerve reddish, 

 vanishing at or below apex ; cells very thin, lax, thin- walled, 

 hexagonal-rhomboid, hyaline in all but the young leaves ; comal 

 leaves of the fertile stems longer, larger, lanceolate. Seta short, 

 3-4 lines, arcuate at top, capsule (with the neck) 7iery long, 

 clavate, gibbous above and slightly asymmetrical, horizontal or 

 sub-pendulous, when old and empty sub-erect ; the capsule oblong- 

 cylindrical, slightly curved, the neck once or twice its length, 

 gradually tapering into the seta ; the whole fruit 2-2^/1 or even 3 



