EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 43 
Stems 2-6 in. high, slender, extremely fragile, simple or bipar- 
tite, straw-coloured; cells of the peripheral layers yellowish; cuticular 
cells in two layers, small, without pores. Stem leaves large, erecto- 
patent or reflexed, ovate-oblong, slightly narrowed toward the 
point, which has several short, obtuse teeth, minutely auricled ; 
margin incurved, broadly bordered with very narrow elongated 
cells; hyaline cells in the upper half densely fibrillose with few pores, 
below narrow and empty. 
Ramuli 2-3 in a fascicle, 1-2 divergent, short, rather obtuse, 
pale red; cuticular cells very unequal, smallest quadrate; retort cells 
large, numerous, recurved, and projecting at the attenuated apex, 
which is perforated and of a yellow colour. 
Leaves of the divergent branches patent or laxly incumbent, 
sometimes subsecund, broadly ovate or ovato-lanceolate, with 3-5 
small teeth at apex, incurved at margin in the upper part; border 
of about four rows of extremely narrow elongated cells; hyaline 
cells broadly rhombic above, three times longer than broad below, 
all with numerous strong reticulose fibrils, and many small pores on 
the upper surface; in section the hyaline cells are prominent and 
confluent on the inner surface, but separated at back by the inter- 
posed triangular chlorophyllose cells. . 
Perichztia placed in the coma and upper fascicles, the bracts 
large, imbricated, outer oblongo-lanceolate, inner ligulate, densely 
fibrillose in the upper half. 
Capsule globose, small, thin-walled, ochraceous brown ; spores 
sulphur-coloured. 
; Male plants in distinct tufts, or rarely intermixed with the 
female and resembling them; amentula small, orange-coloured ; 
the bracts broadly ovate, resembling the branch leaves in structure, 
Has.—Spongy open heaths and wet hollows in hilly places. Fr. May and June. 
Europe.—Scandinavia; frequent. Sporadically through Silesia, Westphalia, 
the Black Forest, North Germany, the Vosges, Belgium, &c. xgland: Lancashire, 
Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Sussex, Kent (very fine at Keston Common), and other 
counties. Scotland: In Perthshire, Forfar, Ross, Kincardine, and other counties ; 
Shetland at N. Maven (Sim). Jre/and: Kerry and other counties (Dr. Moore). 
N. AmERica.—Sparingly in the northern States. 
This delicate little Sphagnum is a striking object when in fruit, 
as this is produced in abundance, and renders it very conspicuous ; 
while in the barren state it has, no doubt, been frequently over- 
looked. It is most readily known by the large, curved retort cells 
