BRYUM. 341 



One of the most easily recognised of our species, resembling most Plagiobryum 

 julaceum, but differing in the smaller cells, absence of red tinge and other points 

 mentioned under that plant. The silvery tint is due to the extreme thinness of the 

 texture of the leaves, the upper part usually devoid of chlorophyll, and the lower 

 half only faintly coloured. It exhibits some variation in leaf form and habit, but not 

 to such an extent as not, in general, to be easily recognised. The varieties described 

 above are the extreme forms induced, the one by a rich and moist habitat, the other 

 by drought and exposure to the sun. 



The capsule resembles that of B. atropurpureum, but is of a less deep red colour, 

 and passes, though very rapidly, a little less abruptly into the seta. 



F. RHODOBRYUM. 



32. Bryum roseum Schreb. (Mnium roseum Weis ; Bryum 

 proliferum Sibth., Braithw. Br. M. Fl.) (Tab. XLVI. B.). 



Gregarious or in large loose mats ; producing subterranean 

 stolons, with stems 1-2 inches high, somewhat branched, robust, 

 clothed for some distance upwards with minute, appressed, 

 scale-like leaves, the terminal suddenly enlarged, forming a wide 

 terminal rosette, deep green, horizontally spreading or erecto- 

 patent, erect and flexuose when dry, very long, 3-5 or even 

 6 lines, \\ lines wide, spathulate from a narrow base, acute, the 

 apex somewhat twisted ; margin narrowly recurved below and 

 entire; in the upper half plane, spinulose-dentate ; nerve 

 narrow above, vanishing at some distance below apex. Areolation 

 rather large, regularly elongate-hexagonal , larger and looser at 

 base, all thin-walled and highly chlorophyllose, or the lowest 

 hyaline. Capsules often two or three together, on long stout 

 setae \-\\ inches high, pendulous, oblong-cylindrical with a short 

 neck, slightly incurved, brown ; lid conical, obtusely apiculate ; 

 peristome large. Dioicous. 



Hab. Woods and shady hill-sides, not common. Fruit very rare, late autumn. 



A splendid plant, with beautiful rosettes of leaves sometimes as much as an inch 

 across. The stems are frequently continued beyond one rosette, subsequently form- 

 ing another, and innovations are produced below the flowers. In habit this species 

 resembles a Mnium, such as M. spinosum, but the areolation is quite Bryoid, as is the 

 peristome. The fruit is exceedingly rare, and has only been found in three or four 

 British localities. 



78. MNIUM L. (emend. B. & S.) 



Plants usually tall and robust with large leaves. Fertile 

 stems erect, the terminal leaves usually larger, forming a rosette ; 

 often producing barren basal branches of a different form, 

 frequently long, slender and prostrate or arched, rooting at the 

 ends, the leaves sub-equal ; branching basal, rarely from below 



