496 hypnace^:. 



when dry ; more finely and regularly denticulate than in the last ? 

 nerve double, reaching nearly to one-third of the leaf or less, 

 rarely higher. Median cells as in the previous species, towards 

 base a little laxer, with the walls strongly porose and sinuose. 

 Branch-leaves narrower, less squarrose, strongly striated when- 

 dry. Capsule widely ovate-oblong, turgid, lightly striate when 

 dry, lid acuminate, not rostrate. 



Hab. Subalpine and mountain woods, common ; rare in the lowlands. Fr, 

 spring, rare. 



More robust than the preceding species of the genus, and somewhat intermediate 

 in habit between them and the following ones, from all of which it is distinguished by 

 the presence of paraphyllia, which, though rather inconspicuous are usually numerous. 

 In its habit and striate leaves it resembles Eurhynchium striatum, but the leaves are 

 more finely, and, the stem-leaves especially, more abruptly acuminate. The same 

 characters will distinguish it, even more strongly, from robust forms of Brachythecium 

 rutabulmn. 



5. Hylocomium loreum B. & S. (Hypnum loreum L.) 



(Tab. LX. I.). 



Robust, stems 4-10 inches long, flexuose, procumbent, slightly 

 divided, more or less regularly, often interruptedly pinnate, 

 without paraphyllia ; the branches equally robust, arcuate, 

 attenuated, less commonly straight, often rooting at the tips, 

 more or less complanate, but not conspicuously so. Tufts large, 

 soft, pale, often greyish green or yellowish, glossy. Leaves 

 densely imbricated, usually more or less falcato-secund and 

 homomallous, rigid, large, \i-2 lines long, from an ovate or 

 broadly oblong base gradually tapering to a long, fine, linear- 

 lanceolate, channelled, strongly recurved acumen, strongly and 

 regularly plicate, finely and indistinctly denticulate all round, 

 almost nerveless or with two very short, faint striae or nerves ; 

 areolation almost as in H . brevirostre, smooth at back. Branch- 

 leaves almost similar, rather narrower. Perichaetial bracts long, 

 sheathing, with slender, squarrose points. Seta i-if inches long, 

 stout. Capsule short and thick, ovate-oblong, lightly striate 

 when dry and empty ; lid more or less longly acuminate. 



Hab. On the ground and rocks in woods, principally subalpine ; frequent. Fr. 

 spring, not uncommon. 



A very distinct species, somewhat intermediate in appearance between B. 

 triquetruvi and H. sqiiarrosum, with the leaves arcuate rather than squarrose and by 

 this alone easily distinguished ; it is also much more robust than the latter, with 

 strongly plicate, more rigid leaves, although the stems are moderately soft and 

 flexuose. In the absence of paraphyllia and the gradually tapering leaves, almost 

 equal on stem and branches, it is quite distinct from the preceding species. Like S. 

 splendens it fruits freely and not uncommonly in damp subalpine woods. 



