68 Wheldon : The North of England Harpidia. 



pinnate, from 5 to 40 cm., or more, in length. Leaves usually 

 laxly arranged, rarely as strongly falcate as in the succeeding 

 groups, sometimes patent, with entire or at most sinuolate 

 margins, excavate and decurrent at basal angles. Cells lax at 

 base, hexagono-rectangular, those of the angles dilated and 

 forming distinct auricles. Outer perichsetial leaves small and 

 wider, inner large, long, and thinly nerved, plicate. Annulus 

 broad. Peristome teeth transversely, striate, densely trabeculate, 

 bordered. 



Perhaps no single character affords a reliable means of 

 separating barren plants from H.fluitayis, with which some of 

 the forms are easily confused. The broader leaves, entire 

 margins, shorter and laxer areolation will sometimes suffice, but 

 in addition the cells at the insertion of the leaf usually pass 

 insensibly into those of the stem — in H. fluita7is the transition is 

 abrupt. According to Renauld even this character cannot always 

 be relied on. 



Frequent on clayey or sandy soils (with us much rarer on 

 peat, if not quite absent), at low elevations, seldom ascending 

 above 100 feet. 



Group typicum Ren. 



Fades of slender forms of H. fliiitans (exanrtulatum), H. 

 Jilicinum, or H. vernicosum. Stems usually slender, • leaves 

 dense, more or less secund-falcate, oblong-lanceolate, or ovate- 

 triangular, with a rather short subulate canaliculate acumen, 

 the apical ones forming a hook. at ends of stems and branches. 

 Nerve thin and sometimes very short. 



Forma falcata Ren. Tufted, erect, usually short (5-10 cm., 

 sometimes taller). Stems divided, divisions more or less pin- 

 nate, hooked at the apices. Stem leaves falcate, oblong to 

 ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, subulate, nerved above half-way. 

 Usually taller than forms gracilescens and tenuis, and with longer 

 and more gradually acuminate leaves. 



8. West of Radbourne (57), W. R. Linton ! 



9. Southport (59), Holt ! ! Wheldon ! ! St. Annes (60), 

 Wheldon ! 



10. Coatham Marshes (62), Ingham ! ! Clifton Ings (62), 

 Ingham ! Quarry near Knottingley (63), Ingham ! 



Forma lsevis Boul. Pale or yellowish green. Stem erect 

 {6-10 cm.). Stem leaves erect appressed, slightly secund above, 

 acumen not flexuose. The extremities are scarcely hooked. 

 The transition from group typicum to var. pungens. 



to. Barlby (61), Ingham ! 



Naturalist, 



