484 GENERAL NOTES ON 



which is shortly stipulate, and free throughout its extent. They are 

 beautiful, perhaps as elegant as any I know, distinctly trabeculate, and 

 connivent when moist. The annulus is firmly united to the opercle, with 

 which it separates, the sporules are when immersed transparent, the teeth 

 are minutely punctuate. 



What is the nature of the margin seen on the outside of each tooth, 

 and ceasing about the middle. It is evidently similar to that which 

 exists in all ? trabeculate teeth, which is generally uncoloured, and often 

 fills up what are called fissures and perforations, I take it to be a kind of 

 sheath, complete or not, perhaps according to the length of the real part 

 of the tooth. See my Anhymenium and Bridels Macrothecum, in which 

 it is at its maximam. 



Splachnum sphcericwn, S. minioides. S. vasculosum and Frcetichia- 

 num. — The four species I have from Drummonds N. Amer. mosses the 

 teeth are 32 in number, they all are continuous with the inner theca which 

 in all is free, except towards the mouth of the capsule, where the cohe- 

 sion is in some, remarkably intimate, particularly Splachnum sphsericum. 

 In S. Frsetichianum and S. spsericum, the teeth are mostly distinct and the 

 cohesion if any, takes place by their apices. In S. mnoides the cohesion is 

 nearly uniform, but is still on the plan of the above. In S vasculosum, 

 all the teeth cohere intimately throughout, nearly their inferior while 

 they are free towards their apices. In this moss too, there is a decided ten- 

 dency to quaternary composition of each tooth, but this is only visible in 

 the cohering inferior 3, the free portions being as in the other, binarily 

 composed. In S. mnoides the inner theca terminates in a stout pedicel 

 nearly equalling the theca in length. Suddyah 21 July, 1836. 



Sphagnum acutifolia. — From the examination of one capsule of this 

 species I am not at all certain that the genus is evaginulate, I rather 

 consider that the apex of the stalk is much dilated, and adherent when 

 mature, to the dilated apex of the Perichsetial axis. The elongation of 

 this axis beyond the perichsetial leaves is so far as I know singular, as is 

 likewise perhaps the irregular rupture of the calyptra above its base. 

 The inner membrane of the capsule appears to have the lower portion 

 alone persistent. 



Buxbaumia. — The leaves form a confervoid mass, surrounding the 

 whole axis, which is excessively short, including the vaginula. They are 

 pinnatifid from the elongation of the marginal cells. The upper portion 

 of the capsule which forms the chief portion of the obliquity is of much 

 thinner structure than the remainder, the seta is scabrous. I see nothing 

 like Bridel's outer or intermediate peristome at least as he describes 

 it. Bryol. Univ. 1. 330. 



