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DIDYiMODON GRACILE.
D td ijm o d o n , caule den se casspitoso e lo n g a te , foliis lan -
c e o la to -su b u la tis, p ilo lo n g o co lo ra to te rm in a tis , c a p su
la e re c ta c}dindracea, o p e rcu lo su b u la to , c a ly p tra
basi c ib a ta . (T a b . V .)
H.%b. In monte Quindiu, regione temperata, Andes de Cundi-
namara. ìrliimholdt et Bonpland.
Caules 3-4-unciale.s, rigidi, dense caespitosi, simplices vel divisi,
apicibus attenuati ( / . 1). Folia ( f.2 ) erecto-appre.ssa, stricta,
vel paululum curvata, rigida, inferiora iiigricantia, superiora
flavescentia, omnia lanceolato-subulata, acumine longo pili-
formi colorato, sub lente serriilato ( / . 4), terminata, nervo latissimo
percursa. Perichcetialia { f. 3) bis minora, nervo te-
imiore. Seta sesqiiiimcialis, erecta, parum flexiiosa. Capsula
( / . 5) ci’lindraoea, erecta, intense fusca. Calyptra ( / . 6)
subulata, dimidiata, basi cilia.ta, ciliis loiigis. Operndum s,\x-
bulatum, rectum. Peristomìum [ f. 7, 8) sedccim-dentatiim,
dentibus longis filiformibus, erectis, pallidis, vix per paria ap-
pi'oximatis.
I am aware how liable I am to censure in assigning this plant
to a genus different from that in which Dicranumflexuosum
holds a place; since with that it accords so well in habit, in the
foliage, and particularly in the fringed base of the calyptra. But
with the genus Dicranum the more essential character, taken
from the peristome, is wholly at variance ; and even with Didy-
modon I cannot satisfy myself that the teeth agree in being placed
in pairs. The habit however does not materiallv differ, and the
teeth resemble in form those of many Didymodonles; and in
Didymodon capillaceum and heteromcillum it is not easy to discover
the approximation of the teeth in pairs.
Did. gracile has a striking peculiarity, not only in the long
and slender, rigid stems, but also in the colour, which below is a
deep and shinini f f brown . indining to black; whilst above it is of
a pale and bright yellow hue.
Fig. 1 . Tuit nat, size. The rest are more or less magnified.
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