HYLOCOMIUM. 495 



3. Hylocomium pyrenaicum Lindb. (Hypnum pyrenaicum 



Spruce ; Hyl. Oakesii Sull., Schp. Syn. et mult, auct.) 

 (Tab. LX. F.). 



Stems prostrate, with ascending, somewhat pinnately 

 arranged, almost simple, straight or curved branches, rather 

 tumid, obtuse or pointed. Tufts low, straggling, dark olive 

 green or yellowish, glossy ; paler at the tips of the branches. 

 Stems reddish brown, densely crowded with paraphyllia. Leaves 

 distant or crowded, large, erect or spreading, concave, rounded- 

 ovate, or widely ovate-oblong, abruptly contracted to a usually 

 short, wide, acute, somewhat twisted acumen ; narrowed at base, 

 strongly plicate, margin revolute, strongly toothed, nerve single, 

 reaching about half way, rarely forked or double ; areolation as 

 in the last two species, a little shorter and wider at apex and 

 base ; not papillose at back. Fruit very rare, not found in 

 Britain. 



Hab. Mountain rocks at high elevations, very rare ; Ben Lawers and one or 

 two other Scotch mountains. 



Very distinct from the allied species, in the habit, the large, rounded, 

 sometimes hardly pointed and usually at most shortly acuminate leaves, rendering the 

 branches robust and tumid in appearance. Stunted forms of Antitrichia curtipendula 

 sometimes approach it in habit, but the stem without paraphyllia, the more gradually 

 tapering leaves, etc., will distinguish that species on careful examination, even in the 

 field. Hyl. brevirostre is also somewhat like it, but the leaves are more triangular in 

 outline, more longly acuminate, and the plant much more rigid. American 

 specimens of this plant which I possess are much more slender, with narrow, 

 attenuated branches and narrower, julaceous leaves, giving the plant a very similar 

 appearance to that of Eurhynchium cirrosum. 



The name pyrenaicum, being published by Spruce with No. 4 Musci Pyrenaici, 

 in 1847, must take precedence of Sullivant's name, published in 1848. 



4. Hylocomium brevirostre B. & S. (Hypnum brevirostre 



Ehrh.) (Tab. LX. G.). 



Robust, rigid, in large tufts or masses of a rather dull but 

 glossy green, often yellowish. Stems much divided, 3-6 inches 

 long, erect or procumbent and arched, with irregularly pinnate, 

 long or short, often curved, and attenuated branches, rooting 

 occasionally at the tips, not complanate, usually crowded, giving 

 a bushy habit to the plant. Stems reddish, with smaller and less 

 conspicuous paraphyllia than in the last. Stem-leaves crowded, 

 erecto-patent, not or hardly secund, usually squarrose, large, 

 about 1 line long, widely cordate-triangular or cordate-ovate, 

 suddenly narrowed at the summit to a moderately long, somewhat 

 channelled, tapering acumen, at base semi-amplexicaul, with very 

 large, rounded, sometimes decurrent auricles ; plicate, especially 



