Schistidium cæspiticium Bridel. Nees and Hornsch. Gymnostomum cæspiticium Web. and Mohr. Hooker in Hab. In the crevices of alpine rocks. Summit of Ben Lawers. Stems densely tufted, about inch long, or more, flexuose, branched; branches fastigiate. Leaves crowded, suberect, or somewhat falcate and turned to one side, firm, rather glossy, ovatelanceolate, subulate or acuminate. Perichætial leaves larger, with a sheathing oblong base, entire, nerve predominant. Fruitstalk scarcely longer than the obovate capsule, which is almost concealed by the perichætial leaves. Lid adhering to the columella (fig. a.), not soon falling away, rostrate. This is not easily confounded with any other British moss. Zygodon Lapponicus differs from it in the striated capsule, and in the form and structure of the leaves. 13. BLINDIA. Capsule roundish-subpyriform, of firm texture, subapophysate, erect, on a straight pedicel, turbinate when dry and empty. Lid large, obliquely rostrate. Calyptra at first 4-5-6 angular in the lower part, subsequently cloven on one side, and cucullate. Annulus none. Peristome single; teeth 16, equidistant, lanceolate, remotely barred, entire or variously perforated (cribrose), and sometimes cloven at the apex, slightly trabeculate on the inner side, deep red. Spores not large, smooth, reddish-brown. Vaginula oblong. Stems cæspitose, dichotomously branched, producing innovations below the fertile apex, rooting at the base only, filiform, flexuose, solid, denuded of leaves when old. Leaves lanceolatosubulate, firm, and glossy, entire; nerve strong and predominant; areola minute, except at the base, subquadrate. Inflorescence dioicous, terminal; barren flowers gemmiform; anthers oblong, shorter than the paraphyses which accompany them. Perennial, growing on moist alpine rocks. Bruch and Schimper remark concerning this new genus, that it forms with Stylostegium a particular group in the family of the Seligeriaceae, or, otherwise, it may be considered a separate family, nearly allied, and intermediate between the Seligeriacea and the Dicranacea. This is very much in accordance with our own views; but for the present we think it convenient to place this genus (where Bruch and Schimper have already put Stylostegium) with the Dicranacea. The peculiar structure of the young calyptra of Blindia is not noticed in the Bryologia Europea, and we have not yet sufficiently compared the allied genera in order to determine this question. Name, in honour of Blind of Münster. Blindia acuta Br. and Sch. (acute-leaved Blindia). (TAB. XV.) Bryol. Europ. Monogr. p. 3. t. 1. Weissia acuta Hedw. St. Cr. t. 35. Bridel. Hook. & Tayl. Grimmia rupestris Sprengel. Grimmia acuta Turner. Smith, Eng. Bot. t. 1644. Dicranum hyperboreum Smith, Fl. Brit. 1227. Eng. Bot. Hab. On moist alpine or subalpine rocks. Frequent on the Welsh and Scottish mountains. Near Todmorden, Mr. John Nowell. Stems tufted, from inch to 3 inches in height. Leaves crowded, subsecund, rather rigid, glossy, lanceolato-subulate, nerve thick and predominant. Perichætial leaves sheathing below. Capsule on a short reddish fruitstalk, scarcely rising above the leaves, roundishpyriform, smooth, of firm texture. Teeth of the peristome deep red, erect when dry, converging when moist. This has been confounded with Arctoa fulvella, but the capsule is never furrowed as in that moss. If we are right in referring Dicranum hyperboreum of Smith, as above, there is additional reason to doubt the validity of Arctoa hyperborea as a species. The varieties of Blinda acuta are as follow: var. 6. breviseta; stem shorter; capsule on a very short pedicel. Weissia fastigiata Nees and Hornsch. Bryol. Germ. t. 35. f. 31. Bryum immersum Dicks. Crypt. fasc. 4. p. 15. (partly). var. y. rupincola, with arcuate pedicels. Weissia acuta B. Wahlenb. Fl. Lapp. Dickson's specimens of Bryum immersum consist partly of a species of Campylopus in a barren state. 14. ARCTOA Br. and Sch. DICRANUM Hook. and Tayl. Capsule erect, or inclined, shortly pedicellate, oval, or somewhat turbinate; when dry, furrowed and contracted below the mouth. Lid large, obliquely rostrate, crenulate in the margin. Annulus simple, subpersistent. Calyptra cuculate, inflated, large for the size of the capsule. Peristome single, large; teeth 16, equidistant, lanceolato-subulate, plane, either cloven into two unequal portions, or perforated and entire, rather rigid, deep red, with numerous transverse but scarcely prominent bars, more or less spreading when dry, very hygroscopic. Spores small, reddish-brown. Vaginula oblong. Stems perennial, growing in alpine situations, on the ground or on rocks, densely cæspitose, erect or ascending, with innovations from below the apex, fastigiate. Leaves crowded, lanceolato-subulate, more or less falcato-secund, varying from green to reddish-brown, glossy, nerved, the nerve predominant in the upper portion of the leaf; areola oblong, larger and quadrate at the marginal base; perichætial leaves larger, sheathing in the lower part. Inflorescence monoicous, terminal. There is a strong affinity between this genus and the falcate section of the genus Dicranum, but the form of the capsule and the configuration of the peristome are considered sufficiently different to warrant the separation. Bruch and Schimper describe two species of this genus, but after much pains bestowed in the investigation of numerous specimens, we are unable to determine the existence of more than one British species, which is certainly Bryum fulvellum of Dickson, and yet has all the essential characters assigned to Arctoa hyperborea. Hence we conclude, that there is really but one species of this genus. Name, from apкros, north; this moss being found only in northern regions. Arctoa fulvella Br. and Sch. (brownish Fork-Moss). (TAB. XXXIII.) Arctoa fulvella and A. hyperborea Br. and Sch. Bryol. Hooker and Dicranum fulvellum Smith, Fl. Brit. p. 1209. Eng. Bot. Bryum fulvellum Dicks. Crypt. fasc. 4. t. 11. f. 1. Hab. In the fissures of alpine rocks. Snowdon, N. Wales. Fr. July. Stems 1-2 inches in length, erect or decumbent, densely tufted. Leaves crowded, more or less secund, often falcate, lanceolato-subulate, or lanceolato-setaceous, rather firm, not crisped when dry, glossy, dull green, or frequently fulvous brown, often obscurely denticulate at the apex, the nerve rather strong and predominant. Perichætial leaves larger than the rest, sheathing below. Fruitstalk varying in length, sometimes not longer than the perichætial leaves. Capsule ovate, regular, or gibbous, when dry wide-mouthed, and marked with 8 furrows. Lid obliquely rostrate. Annulus large. Teeth of the peristome usually broad, cloven half way, occasionally trifid and perforated. Barren flowers inserted below the perichatial leaves, gemmiform. This has sometimes been confounded with Blindia acuta, but differs essentially in the structure of the peristome, and in the furrowed capsule. As already mentioned, we have in vain sought for some permanent and satisfactory distinction between the two supposed British species, but all the specimens we have seen agree with the description and figure of Arctoa hyperborea, having a decidedly striated or furrowed capsule, when dry, and showing the other characters ascribed to that species in contradistinction to Arctoa fulvella. Bruch and Schimper have been led to conclude that the moss figured in Greville's Sert. Crypt. Flora belongs to A. hyperborea, because the capsule is there described as "striated when moist and furrowed when dry, cyathiform, the orifice very large." The specimens figured in that work correspond exactly with our own. Dickson, the original authority for Arctoa (Bryum) fulvella, describes the capsule "lævis, demum striata, ore patulo," and Smith, in Eng. Bot., in pointing out the difference between Dicranum fulvellum and Grimmia acuta, t. 1644. makes distinct mention of a specimen of the former from Mr. Dickson which has the capsule " longitudinally furrowed or ribbed." As to Dicranum hyperboreum of Smith, Fl. Brit., and of Dickson, which we have referred with some doubt to Blindia acuta, it is probably different from Bryum hyperboreum Gunner, Fl. Norveg., and Oeder, Fl. Danica, the capsule being described as smooth, and the figure in Eng. Bot. t. 2552. represents the fruitstalk three times the length of the capsule. Moreover, Smith never saw a specimen of Oeder's moss. 15. CYNODONTIUM Br. and Sch. DIDYMODON Hook. and Tayl Capsule either obliquely subpyriform, or erect, ovate-oblong, and symmetrical, on an erect or subflexuous pedicel, smooth, its walls rather thin and loosely cellular. Calyptra cucullate, rather large. Annulus simple, breaking off piecemeal. Operculum obliquely rostrate. Peristome single, very irregular; teeth 16, lanceolate, confluent, and dilated at the base, sometimes cloven to the base, the segments either free or connected by bars, sometimes entire, with numerous transverse bars, plane, deep red, scarcely hygroscopic, converging when wet. Spores of medium size. Vaginula long, cylindrical. Growing upon rocks. Stems perennial, tufted, branched in a fastigiate manner. Leaves spreading, variously curved, linear-lanceolate, margin remotely toothed, reflexed in the lower part of the leaf, minutely granulose on both surfaces; areole quadrate, larger near the base. Inflorescence monoicous; barren flower gemmiform; antheridia cylindrical, incurved, with longer paraphyses; fertile flower 3-leaved, at length forming a proper perichætium. An ambiguous genus, intermediate between Weissiea and Dicranum. In habit, in the texture of the leaves, and in the form of the capsule, allied to Weissia serrulata, and in the mode of growth, form of the leaves and calyptra, allied to Dicranum polycarpum, while the peristome connects it with the heterogeneous genus Didymodon. Hence the true place of Cynodontium is difficult to determine. Meanwhile it is considered best to rank it with the Dicranea. Name from Kvw, Kuros, a dog, and odwr, tooth. Cynodontium Bruntoni Br. and Sch. (Brunton's Fork-Moss). (TAB. XXXIV.) Bryol. Europ. Monogr. p. 3. t. 1. Dicranum Bruntoni Smith, Eng. Bot. t. 2509. C. Müller, Didymodon Bruntoni Arnott, Disp. Musc. p. 36. Hook. Didymodon obscurum Kaulfuss in Sturm. Deutsch. Fl. c. icone. Schwaegr. Suppl. t. 125. Funck, Deutsch. Moose. Grev. Scot. Crypt. Fl. t. 193. Grimmia cirrata Smith, Fl. Brit. 1189. Eng. Bot. t. Dicranum polycarpum Hook and Tayl. Musc. Brit. ed. 1. Musc. Scott. Drummond, Hab. Rocks in subalpine or hilly districts, not uncommon. This moss bears some resemblance to Weissia cirrata in the foliage, but the capsule is more turgid, shorter, and generally obliquely pyriform, or obovate, not symmetrical, and has a very different peristome. (See the description of the genus.) Leaves linear-lanceolate, keeled, margin reflexed, often minutely denticulate, spreading and curved, when dry incurved and twisted, the nerve ceasing at or near the apex of the leaf; perichætial leaves sheathing below. Peristome bright red, fragile, deciduous. The smooth pyriform capsule and shorter leaves distinguish this moss at first sight from Dicranum polycarpum, which it otherwise much resembles. 16. DICRANUM Hedw. Capsules either aggregate or single in the same perichætium, erect or cernuous, regular, gibbous or curved, ovate, oval, oblong or cylindrical, the neck or apophysis sometimes tapering gradually into the erect fruitstalk, sometimes tumid, or in some cases strumose, smooth, either uniformly coloured or marked with coloured striæ, the walls thin and membranous, coriaceous, or solid. Calyptra cucullate, with a long beak, reaching halfway down the capsule, or more, generally falling away along with the operculum. Lid conical at the base, with a slender oblique beak varying in length. Annulus of two or three rows of cellules, seldom absent. Peristome single; teeth 16, equidistant, confluent at the base, incurved and somewhat converging both in a wet and in a dry state, longer than the diameter of the capsule, lanceolate, cloven half way or more into two unequal portions, the medial line being continued to the base, with occasional perforations, marked with transverse bars prominent on the inner side of the tooth, and lined externally with a somewhat rigid membrane, colour red or orange. Spores rather small, reddish brown. Perennial plants, growing on rocks, or on the ground, some |