362 NECKERACE^E. 



branches complanate, often flagelliform. Leaves not undulate, 

 oblong-cultriform, usually rounded at the apex and shortly 

 apiculate, less commonly acute or shortly acuminate, complanate, 

 often, especially at the tip of the stem and branches, deflexed on 

 each side and somewhat falcate ; margin with one wing inflexed 

 at base, otherwise plane, faintly denticulate at apex ; nerve 

 double, very short and faint, or wanting ; cells narrowly 

 vermicular throughout the greater part of the leaf, at summit 

 wider and shorter, rhomboidal ; at basal angles quadrate-oval, 

 yellowish. Perichaetia on the side of the stem ; seta 4-5 lines 

 long, yellow ; capsule oval or elliptic-oblong, narrowed at the 

 mouth, pale, orange-brown, small ; lid subulate-rostrate, usually 

 oblique ; peristome teeth pale, narrow. Dioicous. 



Var. /3. tenella B. & S. Extremely slender, leaves very 

 much smaller. 



Hab. Trunks of trees and rocks. Common. The var. j8 rare ; nr. Ladbrook, 

 Warwick (Bagnall, 187b). Fruit rare, spring. 



The commonest species of the genus, readily known by its leaves being smooth, 

 not undulate. It is most like Homalia Irichomanoides, but that plant has the leaves 

 more regularly depressed on each side of the stem and less complanate, the cells wider 

 and the nerve single ; besides which it is autoicous and usually fertile. 



N. complanata varies with the leaves more distant, the stems looser and more 

 elongated, and on the other hand with the stems shorter and more compactly tufted, 

 with the leaves much crowded ; in the latter form the branches are less frequently 

 flagelliform. The var. tenella is an exceedingly slender, almost minute form. 



83. HOMALIA Brid. 

 (Omalia B. & S., nonnull. auct.). 



Habit and leaf structure of Neckera. Seta elongate ; capsule 

 erect or suberect ; peristome more developed, the basal membrane 

 of the inner one-third the height of the teeth, processes reaching 

 as high as the outer teeth ; cilia sometimes present, rudimentary. 

 Inflorescence autoicous. 



1 . Homalia trichomanoid.es Brid. (Hypnum trichomanoides 

 Schreb.) (Tab. XLIX. F.). 



In large loose patches, pale shining yellowish green ; secondary 

 stems slender, fexuose ; sparingly, hardly pinnately branched, 

 the branches not complanate, often curved ; leaves sub-distichous, 

 depressed on each side of the stem, oblong-cultriform, rounded at 

 apex and shortly apiculate, one margin incurved at base, else- 

 where plane ; minutely denticulate above the middle, more strongly 



