PLAGIOTHECIUM. 439 



more like Neckera crispa than any of our mosses, but cannot be mistaken for that or 

 any other species, the large size and pale colour making it at once conspicuous. It 

 does not vary greatly, but in dry places the branches become shorter, with more 

 densely imbricated less complanate leaves. It occurs in lowland woods, etc. , but is 

 then generally barren ; in more elevated localities the fruit is not, however, 

 unfrequent. 



8. Plagiothecium latebricola B. & S. (Leskea latebricola 



Wils.) (Tab. LV. K.). 



Slender, in small dense tufts, of a bright, shining, often 

 yellowish green. Stems with numerous branches, short, hardly 

 1 inch long. Leaves sub-complanate, concave, spreading at the 

 points and often sub-secund, small (about \ line), ovate-lanceolate, 

 more or less finely acuminate, decurrent at base, entire, plane or 

 slightly revolute at margin, nerve very short and faint, sometimes 

 almost wanting; cells linear, pointed, thin-walled, about 15 times 

 as long as wide, laxer at base, at decurrent angles large, well- 

 defined, rectangular, hyaline. Seta short, capsule small, oblong, 

 erect, symmetrical ; lid conical, apiculate. Peristome teeth 

 linear, remotely barred ; cilia none or rudimentary. Dioicous. 



Hab. On decaying wood, roots of ferns, etc., in woods, in moist situations, rare. 

 Fr. summer. 



A slender, delicate plant, growing in similar situations and often in company with 

 P. denliculatum. It is most like P. pulchellum, but will be recognised by the ovate- 

 lanceolate leaves distinctly decurrent at base with hyaline cells. 



9. Plagiothecium demissum Dixon (Hypnum demissum 

 Wils. ; Rhynchostegium demissum B. & S. ; Schp. Syn.) 



(Tab. LV. L.). 



In dense, depressed or drooping tufts, pale yellowish green 

 or golden, shining ; stems prostrate or pendent, with short, 

 irregular, slightly spreading or parallel branches ; slender, 1-3 

 inches long. Leaves imbricated all round the stem or more 

 commonly secund, hardly altered when dry, closely set, narrowly 

 ovate- or oblong-lanceolate from a narrow, not decurrent base, 

 shortly and rapidly acuminate, pale, with usually a bright orange 

 base, obsoletely denticulate, somewhat concave ; nerveless or with 

 faint traces of a single or double nerve ; margin reflexed below ; 

 cells narrowly linear-rhomboid, tapering, 8-12 times as long as 

 broad, slightly laxer towards base ; at mid-base two or three rows 

 usually bright orange ; angular cells large, inflated, often 

 hyaline, very few, forming small, very distinct, hyaline or 

 orange auricles. Seta slender, flexuose, suberect or ascending, 

 capsule small, lid conical with a long beak. Autoicous. 



