EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA. 79 
Sph. acutifolium var. a. recurvum, Wes. Mour, Bot..Tasch. p. 74 (1807). 
Swartz, Adnot. Bot. p. 74 (1829). 
Sph. cuspidatum a. Nexs, Hscu. St. Bryol. Germ. i. p. 23, t. 4, £ 9 (1823). 
C. Moz. Synops. i. p. 96 (1849), et Deutschl. Moose, p. 125 (1853). JENSEN, 
Bry. Danica, p. 47 (1856). Sut. Mosses of Un. St. p. 13, n. 18 (1856). Scum. 
Torfm. p. 60, t. 16, f. x (1858), et Synops. p. 675 (1860). Russow, Beitr. p. 55 
(1865). Harr. Skand. Fled. 7, p. 399 (1858). ScHLIEP. in Verh. Z. B. Gesel. 
Wien, 1865, p. 393. MILDE, Bry. Siles. p. 383 (1869), et p. p. AUCT. 
Sph, cuspidatiforme, BREUTEL, Bot. Zeit. 1824, p. 407. Brip. Bry. Univ. i. p. 752. 
Sph. albescens, HdB. Deutsch. Leberm. fase. 3, n. 73 (1837). 
Sph. flexuosum, Dozy, Mouk. Prodr. Fl. Batav. p. 76, t. 3 (1851). 
Sph, cuspidatum et vax. B. recurvum, Wis. Bry. Brit. p. 21 (1855). 
( Sph. Mougeotii, Scuimp. in Mouc. Nzstt. St. Crypt. Vog.-Rhen. fasc. 14, n. 1306 
1854). 
Sph. dubium, Wits. Mss. in Herb. suo. 
Dioicous ; plants robust, straight, in large dense or lax tufts; 
yellow green, pale green or sometimes pale ferruginous above, pale 
brown or whitish below. Stems 6-12 in. high, greenish white, 
fragile ; cuticular cells in 2-3 strata, small, thin, not porose, hardly 
distinct from the subjacent pale peripheral cells of stem. Stem 
leaves reflexed, rather small, ovato-triangular, minutely auricled, 
without fibres or pores, broadly bordered with narrow elliptic cells ; 
the apex somewhat obtuse with 3-5 small teeth, not involute at 
margin. E 
Branches 4-5 ina fascicle, two divergent and arched downward, 
the rest pendent, attenuated, closely appressed to the stem and 
concealing it ; those of the coma numerous, short, obtuse, squarrose- 
leaved, forming a large dense capitulum ; retort cells elongated, 
perforated, and slightly recurved at apex. Branch leaves densely 
imbricated, erecto-patent, broadly lanceolate, involute toward apex 
which has 2-3 minute teeth, when dry rather glossy, with the 
margins undulate and points recurved. Border of 2-4 rows of 
extremely narrow elongated cells; hyaline cells of the upper half 
elongated, filled with annular and spiral fibres, and with a few 
small pores; of the lower half very long, with annular fibres only 
and no pores; chlorophyllose cells free on the posterior surface, 
trigono-compressed in section. 
Capsules numerous in the capitulum, exserted, and also in the 
upper fascicles. Perichetium yellow green, the bracts broadly 
oval, pointed, concave; the hyaline cells small, without fibres or 
pores, lower ovate, acuminate, recurved at apex, apes elliptic 
oblong, emarginate. Spores yellow. 
