EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 49 
pendent, less elongated, not appressed to stem, the retort cells 
perforated at the slightly recurved apex. Leaves of the divergent 
branches laxly incumbent or patent, more or less secund and 
subfalcate at apex, broadly elliptic, acuminate, very concave, with 
the margin involute in the upper half, narrowly bordered, the point 
with 3-5 small teeth; hyaline cells very small, flexuose, elongated, 
with annular and spiral fibres, and numerous minute pores in a row 
at each margin; chlorophyllose cells enclosed by the hyaline, 
central, strongly compressed. 
Fruit usually seated in the capitulum ; perichzetial bracts laxly 
imbricated, elongate oblong, acuminate, fibrose, and with a few 
pores in the upper part. Spores ferruginous. 
Male plants more slender, in distinct tufts ; the amentula short, 
olive green or rufescent; the bracts broadly ovate, acute, with 
incurved bordered margins. 
Hazs.—Wet heaths and ditches. Fr. July. 
Evurore.—Generally distributed, but not very frequent ; Scandinavia, Germany, 
Silesia, Belgium ; Westmoreland, Skeggles Water (Barnes), Bowness (Hunt), Devon- 
shire (Holmes) 
N. AMERICA.—Not common. 
Sph. subsecundum grows in loose tufts, which are often of great 
size, and is chiefly remarkable for the multiplicity of forms under 
which it presents itself as well as for the variety of hues with which 
these are tinted, embracing deep green, every shade of yellow, 
ochraceous or brownish green, and various tints of claret colour. 
The typical form of the species appears to be the most uncommon, 
and is also rare in fruit. 
Protean as this plant undoubtedly is, there need never be any 
difficulty in its determination, for it is the only European species 
with a single layer of cuticular cells to the stem; the latter is 
generally of a very dark brown or black colour, and shines con- 
spicuously through the branches when in a moist state. 
Var. B. contortum (ScHULTz), ScHIMP. 
Robust, more or less immersed, yellowish green, tinged 
generally with claret colour, ferruginous, ochraceous, or oliva- 
ceous. Ramuli crowded, terete, the upper usually more or less 
circinate. : 
Stem leaves large, fibrose. Branch leaves very large and 
broad, closely imbricated, not secund, or slightly so when dry, 
E 
