Bryum subulatum. Awl-shaped Brvum. 



BRYUM Lin. Gen. PL Cryptogamia Musci. 



Anthera operculata. Calyptra laevis. Filamentum e tuberculo terminali 

 ortum. 



Rail Syn. Gen. 3. Musci. 



BRYUM fubulatum antheris erectis fubulatls, furculis acaulibus. Lin. Syjl. Vegetab. p. 797. Sp. PI. 



p. 1 58 1. F/. Suec. n. 991. 



BRYUM caule breviffimoj foliis lanceolatis, capfulis longiffimis, operculo praelongo. Bailer, hift. 1827. 



BRYUM fubulatum. Scopoli FL Cam. n. 1304. 



BRYUM capfulis longis fubulatis. Dill. Mujc. 350, /. 45./ 10. 



BRYUM erectis longis et acutis falcatis capitulis, calyptra fubfufca, foliis ferpylli pellucidis. Rail 

 Syn. 92. Vaill. Bot. Par. t. 2$.f. 8. 



Hudfon. FL Angl. ed. 2. p. 4.76» 



Light foot. FL Scot. p. 719. 



RADICES nigra, fibrillofae, parum ramofe. | ROOTS black, fibrous, a little branched. 



CAULES fubfeffiles, denfe coacervati, fimplices vel J STALKS nearly feflile, growing clofe together, fimple 



ramofi. J or branched. 



FOLIA ovato-lanceolata, patentia, pellucida, pallide | LEAVES ovato-lanceolate, fpreading, tranfparent, of 



viridia, modice carinata, mucrone brevi ter- % a pale green colour, moderately keel'd, ter- 



minata, ad lentem vifa. jig, 1. | minated by a fhort point, as magnified, fig. 1. 



PEDUNCULI unciales et ultra, pallide lntefcentes, J PEDUNCULES an inch or more in heigth, of a pale 



ficci contorti, bulbillo praediti oblongo. fig' % yellow colour, twifted when dry, furnifh'd. 



2. I with an oblong bulb. fig. 2. 



CAPSULiE prslongae, cylindraceae, fubaurantiaca?, $ CAPSULES very long, cylindrical, fomewhat orange 



incurvae. fig. 3, amiotinae recliores e fufco- | coloured and crooked, fig. 3 ; thofe of the 



purpureas, e quarum ore egreditur truncuJus | preceding year ftraighter, of a purplifh brown 



feu cor nu, e ciliis in tubum contortis com- f colour, from the mouth of which proceeds 



pofitum, apice vero liberis. fig. 6, 7, 8, 9 ; | a little trunk or horn compofed of the ciliae 



Calyptra longitudine fere capfulas, acumina- ^ twifted into a tube, but loofe at top. 7^ 6, 7, 



ta. fig.4.. % 8, 9. Calyptra almoft the length of the 



I capfule, having a long point, fig. 4. 



OPERCULUM capfula duplo brevior, acuminatum. | OPERCULUM twice as fhort as the capfule and poin- 



fig, 5. ? ted. /3-. 5. 



FEW of the MofTes are fubject to fo little variety, or more eafily difcovered than the Bryum fubulatum, 

 before it puts forth its capfules we are ftruck with the broadnefs of its leaves and their ftar-like expanfion ; as it 

 advances the capfules while covered by their Calyptras are unfually long, pointed, and in general a little bent 

 whence it has acquired the Englifh name of Awl-fhaped, the capfule in its laft ftate after loiing both its Calyptra 

 and Operculum, is peculiarly diftinguifhed bv the protrufion of a fubftance from its mouth, of a whiter colour 

 than the body of the capfule, this fubftance when magnified is found to confift of a number of threads or 

 filaments forming a thin fpiral tube, yet loofe and unconnected at top, fee fig. 7, 8, 9, the tube is formed 

 before the operculum falls off, for its fpiral line may be obferved through the tranfparent operculum when it is 

 in a young ftate : Dillenius ufing a fmall magnifier, has not done juftice to this very fingular and curious 

 character. 



This Mofs is not uncommon on banks furrounding woods, alfo in fhady lanes ; I have obferved it in great 

 plenty on a bank on the right hand fide as you enter Shirley-Common, paffing through Shirley from Croydon, alfo 

 about Charlton and Coombe IVoods. 



It produces its Capfules in February and March. 



