EURHYNCHIUM. 419 



have frequently found, in E. Swartzii, and many of the branch-leaves are identical 

 with those of the ordinary form. I can find, in short, no characters by which to 

 separate the two. I am confirmed in this opinion, moreover, by Renauld and Cardot's 

 note on E. hians (Rev. Bry, 1893, p. 20), in which these authors remark its close 

 affinity to E. pralongum Schp. (including doubtless, E. Swartzii), and question its 

 distinctness from that species. 



In any case I do not think there is sufficient evidence of the occurrence of the 

 true American E. hians in Britain, if it really be a good species differing from E. 

 Swartzii, to warrant its retention here. It should be borne in mind that the size of 

 the cells, the decurrence and serration of the leaves, as well as their width and degree 

 of acumination, are all characters eminently variable within the admitted limits of E. 

 prozlongum, and therefore slight differences based upon these characters alone must 

 not be held as constituting specific distinction in plants so closely allied. 



* Eurhynchium abbreviatum Schp. (E. •praslongum var. 

 abbreviatum B. & S.) (Tab. LIV. C). 



Nearly allied to E. Swartzii; in wide flat tufts; branches 

 densely crowded, erect or ascending, straight or curved, short, 

 robust, obtuse ; leaves crowded, loosely imbricated all round, not 

 complanate, rather large, ovate-lanceolate, somewhat concave, 

 plicato-striate . Seta short, J-inch long ; capsule shortly and 

 widely oval. 



Hab. Shady woods, very rare ; perhaps overlooked. Woodchester, Stroud 

 (Holmes) ; Herefordshire (Binstead ). Fr. autumn. 



Perhaps only a variety of the last, but very different in habit, being flatter, less 

 straggling, more robust, with larger, much closer, striated leaves, and resembling a 

 small state of E. striatum, or E. striatulum ; from the latter it is indeed difficult to 

 distinguish in the field, but it wants the very distinct, opaque basal cells which are 

 characteristic of that plant, and the seta is smooth. A form occurs, however, with 

 the same habit, but with the leaves hardly or very lightly striate ; apparently 

 intermediate between this and E. Swartzii, and is perhaps H. pralongum var. 

 rigidum Boul. , which I should be inclined to refer as a variety to the present plant. 



7. Eurhynchium pumilum Schp. (Hypnum pumilum Wils.) 



(Tab. LIV. D.). 



Stems extremely slender, hardly an inch long, with irregular, 

 filiform branches ; in close, very low, soft tufts of a bright deep 

 green. Leaves very small, about \ line long, distant, spreading 

 both when moist and when dry, ovate-lanceolate, shortly acuminate, 

 at base little narrowed, not excavate and hardly decurrent ; 

 denticulate above ; when dry shrinking, not or hardly glossy ; nerve 

 not strong, reaching just above half-way ; cells short, pellucid, 

 hexagonal-rhomboid, 4-8 times as long as broad, wider and 

 rectangular at base, angular not distinct. Seta short, y-f inch, 

 capsule very small, shortly and widely oval, lid moderately long. 

 Dioicous. 



