Hypnace^.] 136 [Hylocomium. 



Dioicous ; in dense interwoven dark green patches, the stems 

 prostrate, rigid, fragile irregularly pinnate, the branches long and curved, 

 often flagelliform, paraphyllia few, ovate. Leaves erecto-patent, secund, 

 ovate-acuminate, finely denticulate at margin, nerves very short, some- 

 times single and reaching middle of leaf; cells incrassate elliptic, the 

 ends projecting as papillae, longer in middle, and at basal margin 

 rounded-quadrate ; branch-leaves smaller, ovate, acute. Perich. bracts 

 erect, lanceolate-acuminate with filiform points ; seta short, red, smooth, 

 capsule horizontal, ovate-oblong, olivaceous, lid conic, rostrate, calyptra 

 whitish, teeth of peristome pale, cilia two, filiform. 



Hab. — Damp shady rocks, not uncommon. Fr. very rare, 11. 



Near Aber, Beddgelert and Dolgelly c. fr. {Wilson) ! ! Near Bolton, Lane. {SchoUfield). 

 Pont Aberglaslyn c. fr. {Hunt) ! ! O'Sullivan's Cascade c. fr. {Moore 1866). 



Var. )8. flaccidmn Br. Sck. 1. c. 



Very small and soft, with capillary stems; leaves minute, longish- 

 lanceolate, distant, spreading on all sides. 



Syn. — Heterocladium heteropterum /i.fallax Milde Bry. Siles. 270 (i86g). 

 Hei. heteropterum Var. cavernarum Molemdo Bayer. Laub. 210 {1875). 

 Het. heteropterum forma umbrosa H. Muell. Westf. Laub. No. 316. 



Hab. — Wet hollows in rocks. 



Near the Strid, Bolton woods {Bagnall) ! Seckiey wood, Stafford (Bagnall). 



B. EusTEREODONTEiE. Plants more robust, Hypnoid in habit, the leaves 

 smooth. 



14. HYLOCOMIUM Br. Sch. 



Bryol. Eur. fasc. 49 — 51 (1852). 



Robust mosses growing in woods in large lax tumid mats. Stems 

 bipinnate, fasciculate or vaguely branched and often with paraphyllia. 

 Leaves glossy, spreading or squarrose, minutely serrate, with two 

 thin nerves and very narrow linear cells. Capsule cernuous, ovate, 

 pachydermous ; lid convex-conic, peristome as in Hypnum. Der. vXoKo/ios 

 inhabiting woods. 



A fine genus of 17 species closely allied to Hypnum, but of distinct habit, 

 and chiefly separated by the faint pair of nerves or none, and more regular 

 mode of branching. 



