414 HYPNACE^. 



the whole, although the habit is so different it appears most probable that it will 

 ultimately have to be united with the species in question, but I have here retained the 

 old name and contented myself with removing it from Brachythecium and placing it 

 in the present genus. 



2. Eurhynchium piliferum B. & S. (Hypnum piliferum 



Schreb.) (Tab. LIU. K.). 



In large, loose straggling patches ; stems elongated, not 

 radiculose, prostrate and creeping, 3-6 inches long, robust, more 

 or less regularly pinnate ; pale, shining green, especially pale at 

 the tips of the stems and branches. Branches complanate, spread- 

 ing and recurved, attenuated. Stem-leaves widely ovate-oblong, 

 concave, but not cochleariform as in the last, decurrent, rounded 

 at summit and abruptly and longly hair -pointed ; at the ends of 

 the stems closely imbricated, forming terete, cuspidate tips with 

 the hair-points spreading and flexuose ; margin plane or inflexed, 

 sub-entire or slightly denticulate throughout ; lightly striate only 

 when dry ; nerve broad at base ; slender above, and vanishing 

 about the middle or at three-fourths of the length of the leaf ; 

 areolation rather large and pellucid, widely linear -rhomboid , thin- 

 walled, tapering at ends, 10-15 times as long as wide, at base 

 shorter and wider, rather lax ; at decurrent angles large, oval- 

 rectangular, well-defined. Branch-leaves smaller, narrower, less 

 abruptly and less longly pointed. Seta about 1 inch long. Capsule 

 widely elliptical, large, about 1 line long without the lid, curved ; 

 lid conical with a subulate beak almost as long as the capsule. 

 Dioicous. 



H ab. In woods, on grassy banks, etc. , common. Fr. very rare, winter. 



A fine species, in some of its more densely branched forms somewhat resembling 

 Brachythecium salebrosum and others of that genus ; but a glance at the stem-leaves, 

 abruptly piliferous, will at once identify it. It is a more slender plant with more 

 distant leaves than the last, the only British moss with which it could at all easily be 

 confused ; and the habitats of the two species are quite distinct. It is more like the 

 continental species E. Tommasinii Sendt. ( E. Vauckeri B. & S.), which however 

 differs in the stems being fasciculate-branched, not pinnate, with numerous slender 

 stolons ; and with a more shortly rostrate lid. 



E. piliferum is usually recognisable at sight by the slender, pinnate branches 

 very pale and shining at the tips. 



3. Eurhynchium crassinervium B. & S. (Hypnum 



crassinervium Tayl.) (Tab. LIII. L.). 



In dense tufts, the stems creeping with suberect, curved, 

 short, irregularly branched divisions ; branches close, sub-equal, 

 curved, pointing in one direction, somewhat stout and tumid, 

 shortly acute ; forming bright green, rather glossy, low tufts. 



