BRACHYTHECIUM. 405 



finely acuminate, squarrose. Capsule small, shortly oval, turgid, 

 blackish when ripe. Cilia of inner peristome with appendages. 

 Autoicous. 



Hab. Mountain rocks in woods, etc. Very rare ; only on one or two mountains 

 in Scotland. Fruit rarely found in Britain, autumn. 



A somewhat variable moss, in size especially, but always more slender than any 

 of the previous species ; and usually at once distinguishable from them and the 

 succeeding ones (except B. glaciate) by the widely cordate leaves, strongly decurrent, 

 very spreading or even squarrose at the points, not imbricated even when dry, and by 

 the wide areolation, which is often extremely lax, rendering the leaves (for this genus) 

 very soft and pellucid. The capsule also is very small and dark coloured. It is much 

 more difficult to separate, however, from B. glaciate. The leaves in that are plicate, 

 but even in the present species some of the leaves may often be seen to be decidedly 

 plicate, especially when dry ; the leaves in B. glaciate are narrower, ovate-acuminate, 

 not cordate-triangular, but some forms of the present species have the leaves distinctly 

 narrower than in the type ; the loosely imbricated, spreading leaves form on the whole 

 the best character of B. Starkei. 



B. reflexum differs in the more slender stems, usually forming denser, neater 

 tufts, with the nerve reaching nearly to the apex of the leaves. 



9. Brachythecium glaciale B. & S. (Hypnum glaciate Hartm.) 



(Tab. LIII. A.). 



Much resembling B. Starkei; differing in its short, obtuse, 

 julaceous branches, with the leaves closely imbricated, not 

 spreading nor distant, narrower, widely ovate-lanceolate , not 

 cordate, decurrent, plicate; branch-leaves narrower and more 

 longly acuminate ; areolation as in that species. Perichaetial 

 bracts imbricated, suberect. Seta short, rough. Capsule shortly 

 oblong, turgid. Cilia of inner peristome nodulose, not appendicu- 

 late. Autoicous. 



Hab. High alpine rocks, near the snow-line ; extremely rare. Ben Lawers ; 

 Ben Challum. Fr. summer. 



Husnot records the var. subsecundum from Ben Lawers ; it is a rather laxer form 

 with the leaves less closely imbricated, and sub-secund. 



B. glaciale is, as mentioned under the preceding species, somewhat difficult to 

 separate from that moss. As a rule however the densely imbricated leaves, rendering 

 the branches julaceous, and themselves of a different form, will identify it. I have 

 seen no British specimens. 



10. Brachythecium reflexum B. & S. (Hypnum reflexum 

 W. & M.) (Tab. LIII. B.). 

 In dense, intricate, low patches ; very slender, dark green. 

 Stems slender, prostrate, divided, with somewhat pinnate, short, 

 delicate, often curved branches. Stem-leaves cordate, rapidly 

 acuminate to a rather long, fine, often twisted point, branch- 

 leaves narrower, ovate-lanceolate, more gradually acuminate, 



