4IO HYPNACE/E. 



This is a southern species, and only fruits freely about the Mediterranean. It is 

 however not a difficult plant to identify, the tumid, obtuse, julaceous branches, with 

 very wide, concave, abruptly pointed leaves, being very different from what is found in 

 most of the allied species. The preceding one differs in the more slender, acute 

 branches, the narrower, less abruptly pointed leaves, etc. ; the next in the taller 

 habit, more robust and firmer stems and branches, smooth seta, and other points ; 

 Eurhynchium murale in the narrower leaves, shorter nerve, long-beaked lid and 

 smooth seta. 



16. Brachythecium purum Dixon (Hypnum purum L., 

 plur. auct.) (Tab. LIII. H.). 



In loose, wide, soft patches, pale bright green, yellowish or 

 dirty white; stems robust, long, 2-6 inches, prostrate or 

 ascending, simple or slightly divided, with numerous, complanate, 

 more or less regularly pinnate branches ; stems tumid with the 

 crowded, concave leaves; branches julaceous, tumid, obtuse. 

 Leaves large, very wide and concave, i-ij lines long, plicate, 

 much resembling those of the last species ; wide at apex with a 

 short abrupt apiculus which is often reflexed ; margin recurved 

 just above the base, above plane or involute, finely denticulate all 

 round ; nerve short, reaching about half-way, thin above, rather 

 wider at base ; cells narrow, linear-vermicular ; 10-18 times as 

 long as wide, obtuse, the walls firm and somewhat incrassate ; at 

 extreme base wide, oval, with incrassate, very porose cell- walls ; 

 angular few, sub-quadrate, forming very indistinct auricles. 

 Perichaetial bracts erect, imbricated, longly acuminate. Seta 

 smooth, slender, flexuose, long, 1-2 inches ; capsule horizontal 

 and decurved, oblong or sub-cylindric, often gibbous at back ; 

 lid conical, acutely acuminate. Dioicous. 



Hab. Among grass in woods, on banks, etc. Abundant. Fruiting rarely, in 

 spring. 



A very distinct species, often very large and robust ; known at sight by its tumid 

 obtuse stems and branches, with wide, inflated, obtuse leaves ; it has usually been 

 placed near Hypnum Schreberi, which in its slender forms it occasionally resembles, 

 but from which its pale, not red, less erect stems, single nerve, and usually obtuse 

 branches will separate it. Its habit is quite different from the last, to which however 

 in structural details it is closely allied ; but that has slender, prostrate, hardly leafy 

 stems with the branches erect or ascending, while here the stems are robust, firm, 

 with pinnate, complanate branches ; and the seta is smooth and much longer. A 

 form occurs however with much more of the habit of that plant, and very tumid more 

 erect branches and very large and wide leaves. 



B. purtim is one of our very common species, and is the one frequently employed 

 by anglers for scouring worms. 



111. HYOCOMIUM B. & S. 



Growing on wet rocks. Secondary stems regularly or 

 irregularly pinnately branched. Leaves widely cordate ; nerve 



