486 HYPNACE/E. 



The fruit is rarely found, and the fertile plant is usually of a duller colour, and 

 shorter, more compact growth, often much embedded in sand. 



32. Hypnum scorpioides L. (Amblystegium scorpioides 

 Lindb.) (Tab. LIX. H.). 



Very robust, rarely somewhat slender; stems procumbent, 

 with very long, almost simple or slightly branched divisions, 

 erect, ascending or procumbent, 4-6 inches long, very tumid with 

 the imbricated , large leaves, forming large soft masses of a 

 variegated yellowish or brownish green, very often passing to 

 reddish purple or almost black. Leaves loosely or closely 

 imbricated, more or less homomallous or falcato-secund, very 

 large, 1-2 lines long, rugose and undulated when dry, widely 

 ovate-oblong, gradually widened above the rather narrow but not 

 rounded base, above shortly and widely narrowed to an obtuse or 

 apiculate point, or more gradually and longly, but very broadly 

 tapering, very rarely somewhat longly acuminate with a slender 

 denticulate apiculus ; very concave, entire (except in the above 

 condition), nerve very faint, usually short and double; cells very 

 long and narrow, linear, about 15 times as long as wide, the walls 

 incrassate and porose ; almost uniform to base, a few at insertion 

 wider, pellucid, sub-rectangular ; special angular cells none or 

 very few, inflated, pellucid or orange, forming minute but well- 

 defined, not decurrent auricles. Thin hyaline cells detached from 

 the stem frequently, however, give the appearance of decurrent 

 auricular cells. Seta very long ; capsule rather large, horizontal, 

 oblong, curved. Dioicous. 



Hab. Bogs and submerged rocks on mountains, not uncommon. Fr. rare, 

 summer. 



In its typical form readily known by its deep reddish colour, tumid stems and 

 branches, and large, obtuse or shortly pointed, rugose leaves ; it somewhat resembles 

 H. Wihoni and H. lycopodioides, especially when the leaves are more tapering and 

 acute ; it will be found however on careful examination that the acumen is usually 

 more or less channelled or involute at the margins, so as to appear, especially when 

 dry, narrower than is really the case ; in the very few cases when the point is really 

 so long and narrow as to be hardly distinguishable from H. lycopodioides, the 

 colour is as a rule distinctive ; if not the short double nerve and absence of large 

 decurrent auricles will at once identify it under the microscope. The cells are most 

 frequently uniform all along the straight, truncated line of insertion ; but not 

 unfrequently there are a very few large hyaline or coloured cells at the extreme angles 

 above this line, forming true, but very minute auricles. 



The position of this species is somewhat doubtful ; its affinities with H. 

 lycopodioides, etc. , are obvious ; yet the usually obtuse leaves, and the short double 

 nerve are characters of some importance when considered in connection with the 

 Section Harpidium, in which a single, long nerve and fine acumen is so constant and 

 characteristic. 



In colour and habit, especially in slender forms, there is also frequently a 

 resemblance between the present plant and H. revotvens. 



