120 



BRITISH MOSSES. 



Plate XVI. 



RACOMITRIUM. 

 Fig. 1. Generic Character. 



Capsule («) erect, smooth, elliptical or cylindrical ; lid conical-subulate, 

 straight, or slightly oblique ; annulus very large ; calyptra conical, mitre-shaped, 

 much divided at the base ; peristome (&) of sixteen thread-like (filiform) teeth, 

 very irregular, long in some species, short in others. Stems long, dichotomously 

 branched ; branches mostly of equal height (fastigiate) ; leaves often hair-pointed, 

 areolae (c) very minute, disposed in rows, forming elongated cellules. 



Growing in thick cushions and tufts upon rocks in mountainous districts ; very 

 woolly. 



T. Stems dichotomously branched; branches {innovations) fastigiate, simple. 

 (Dryptodon of some botanists.) 



Fig. 2. Racomitrium ellipticum. 



Oval-fruited Woolly Moss (a) . 



Colour. Blackish. 



Steins. The shortest of the genus, about one inch in length. 



Leaves (b) . Lanceolate-oblong, thick and rigid ; nerve very strong, margin 

 thickened. 



Flowers and Fruit. Dioicous ; capsule roundish ; seta short and stout. Winter. 

 Locality. Moist Alpine rocks, micaceous or schistose. 



Fig. 3. Racomitrium aciculare. 

 Yellow W oolly Moss (a) . 



Colour. Yellow green. 



Stems. Long", loosely tufted, upright ; very leafy. 

 Leaves (b) . Broad, nerve ceasing below the apex; margin recurved. 

 Flowers and Fruit. Dioicous. Capsule cylindrical ; lid long-. Winter. 

 Locality. Wet rocks, near mountains. 



