160 



BRITISH MOSSES. 



Plate XXIV. 

 BR YEiE. 



Part IV. 



MNIUM. 



Fig. 1. Generic Character. 



Plants large and very beautiful ; leaves large, broad, and gauze-like ; stem 

 erect, often with creeping roots, and branches rooting at their ends (stolons) , the 

 innovations from the lower part of the stem. Fruit terminal; barren flower 

 discoid ; capsule (a) drooping or horizontal, oval ; peristome as in Bryum, lid 

 convex, calyptra small. Areolae (b) large, hexagonal or round, sometimes between 

 the two. 



(a). Leaves serrated. 

 Fig. 2. Mnium aeeine. 

 Many-fruitecl Thread Moss (a) . 



Colour. Light green. 



Stems. Fertile ones erect, barren ones decumbent, radiculose. 



Leaves (b) . Lower distant, oval lanceolate ; upper ovate, spreading in a tuft, 

 apiculate, bordered; areolae large. 



Flowers and Fruit. Dioicous. Seta long, often several together; capsule pen- 

 dulous, large. Spring. 



Locality. Shady places, marshes, &c. Fruit rare. 



Variety. Rugicum. — Stem shorter, leaves smaller ; barren shoots erect. 



Fig. 3. Mnium cuspidatum. 



Pointed Thyme Thread Moss (a) . 



Colour. Dark green. 



Stems. One inch long, densely tufted, radiculose. 



