478 HYPNACE^I. 



none ; cells long and narrow, with firm walls ; a few at ba*sal 

 angles distinct, quadrate, rather obscure, often orange. Capsule 

 ■very shortly oval, wide-mouthed, cernuous. Dioicous. 



Hab. Rocks ; Killarney (Moore and Wilson). 



Mr. Mitten informs me that the plant gathered by Moore at Killarney and 

 distributed as H. hamulosum, which Cardot describes (Rev. Bry. 1890, p. 17) as H. 

 circinale Hook., was really H. canariense, and I include that species here on this 

 authority. The difference between H. circinale Hook, and H. canariense Mitt, does 

 not appear to be very wide, although doubtless they are distinct species ; in specimens 

 of the former gathered by Macoun on Vancouver I. the capsule, while short and 

 wide, is arcuate ; in H. canariense it is not at all arcuate, but nearly or quite 

 symmetrical. The cells in H. circinale also are in my specimens much wider than in 

 H. canariense, with thin walls, and are laxer towards the base, all, including the 

 angular ones, which are sometimes orange, being very pellucid ; whereas in H. 

 canariense they are extremely narrow, incrassate, hardly wider towards the base, 

 except the few angular ones, which are incrassate and somewhat obscure, often 

 orange. The leaves, too, in the former plant are wider at the base, and more shortly, 

 very faintly acuminate, in H. canariense the acumen is very long, but less filiform ; 

 the perichsetial bracts in H. circinale also are longer and straighter. 



H. canat iense is most like H. cupressiforme, but the leaves are sharply serrulate, 

 angular cells fewer and less conspicuous, and the capsule much shorter and very 

 different, more like that of H. molluscum. 



It is to be hoped that further search in S.W. Ireland may ultimately clear up the 

 doubt attending upon the claim of this species to be considered a native. 



25. Hypnum molluscum Hedw. (Ctenidium molluscum 

 Mitt.) (Tab. LVII1. M.). 



Variable in robustness and branching. Stems very densely 

 tufted, with numerous procumbent or ascending divisions, very 

 regularly , closely and plumosely pinnate, or in the more erect 

 forms densely sub-fastigiate, forming very close, soft tufts of a 

 glossy golden green colour, rarely bright green or reddish. 

 Leaves very densely imbricated, typically falcato-secund or 

 flexuose and homomallous, (branch-leaves narrower, often very 

 narrow, more regularly falcato-circinate), when dry smooth or 

 plicate, but almost always crisped and undulate, especially at the 

 points, giving the stems and branches a very soft, feathery 

 aspect ; usually wide at base, cordate-triangular , then lanceolate, 

 tapering to a long fine acumen, at base rounded-auriculate, 

 slightly decurrent, at margin plane ; distinctly and often strongly 

 denticulate, especially at base ; nerve short and double, or none. 

 Cells rather' short and wide, 8-15 times as long as broad, obtuse, 

 the walls firm ; gradually becoming shorter and wider at angles, 

 at extreme angles rather wide, irregularly quadrate-hexagonal, 

 pellucid, but not large, hyaline nor coloured, forming indistinct, 

 ill-defined auricles of the same colour as the rest of the leaf. 

 Paraphyllia few, ovate. Seta dark purple, capsule small, short, 



