414 The Side-fruiting Mosses. 



We now turn to 



THE HYPNA, OE FEATHER-MOSSES, 

 a genus so abundant in our isles that, according to some 

 authors, they compose one-fifth of our whole vegetation. They 

 have a lateral fructification, with cernuous curved capsules on 

 long fruit-stalks, bearing a dimidiate calyptra, and having a 

 double peristome ; the outer of sixteen equidistant, lanceolate- 

 acuminate teeth, trabeculated on the inner side, reddish-brown 

 or yellowish; the inner peristome is formed of a membrane 

 divided halfway down into sixteen carinate processes alternating 

 with the outer teeth, and having intermediate cilia, which are 

 sometimes solitary, sometimes two or three together. The lid 

 is conical, and more or less obliquely rostrate from a hemis- 

 pherical base. 



The species are all perennial, and grow in almost every kind 

 of locality ; but vary much in size, in habit, in the mode of 

 vegetation, the form of their leaves, and the position of their 

 flowers. The generic name is derived from vttvos, sleep, which 

 tells of the use formerly made of it ; and even now, a pillow 

 stuffed with dried hypnums is by some thought to promote 

 sleep as much as a pillow of hops. They ripen their capsules 

 chiefly in the winter months ; but some come to perfection in 

 the spring, and several during the summer. As space would 

 utterly fail us to notice half the members of this extensive 

 genus, we will restrict ourselves to briefly describing those 

 which fruit during July and August, and making a few remarks 

 upon some others of which we may have anything new to relate, 

 either as to locality, season of fruiting, etc., etc. 



Hypnum delicatulvm, then, the delicate feather-moss, fruiting 

 in July and August, has a pinnatified stem, erect or decumbent, 

 clothed with branched villi, or littlo green jagged processes, 

 which cover the stem among the leaves, which leaves, in this 

 species, are of a yellowish green, cordate acuminate, somewhat 

 plicate, reflexed in the margin, minutely toothed in the apex, 

 below which the rather broad nerve ceases, beautifully muricat ed 

 with little sharp prominences all over the back, and even crested 

 with them on the keel. It gives off short attenuated branches, 

 which are often recurved and taking root at tho extremity. 

 'I he periehietial haves are en I ire, not fringed, pale, erect, and 

 Lanceolate. Hie fruit-stalk is smooth, of a pale reddish colour, 

 and an inch or more in length; the capsule oblong, curved, of 

 a pale brown, with a conical-acuminate lid half as long as the 

 capsule, and covered by a yellowish calyptra. Its habitats are 

 limestone rocks and chalk hills. Wc have met with it, in com- 

 pany with II. In marixciiiv in, on the Cotteswold range in Glou- 

 cestershire. 



