M u s e i E x o t i c i .— H u m h o ld t l
ri ,
HYPNUM ELEGANTULUM.
H y p n u m caule elongato repente pinnatim ramoso, foliis
patentibus late-ovatis acuminatis .serrati« enervibus,
seta elongata, capsula ovato-cylindracea cernua, operculo
rostrato. (T ab . LXXXIV.)
H a b . Valhs de Aragna (Prov. Venezuel) America meridionali.
Humboldt et Bonpland.
Caules laxe cæspitosi, repentes, pinnatim ramosi, ramis distantibus
plerumque brevibus, simpiicibus. Folia laxe imbricata,
patentia, pallide viridia, late ovata, concava, subbreviacumi-
nata, subplicata, serrulata, omnino enervia. Ferichætialia
squamosa, lineari-lanceolata, flexuosa. Seta sesquiuncialis,
erecta, gracilis, flavo-rufescens. Capsula ovato-cylindracea,
horizontaliter cernua, viridi-fusca. Operculum rostratum,
fiavo-nifescens, rostro brevi. Perislomium longura, dent, ut
in Hypno,
The distantly placed branches, the regularly patent leaves, the
long slender fruitstalks and pale green colour of the whole plant,
give to this little moss rather an elegant appearance, whence I
have derived its specific name. In habit it comes nearest to some
of the straggling varieties of H. prælongum, but in the shape and
direction of the leaves and their being destitute of a nerve it will
b e found to approach H. patens, T a b . LVI. of this work. It is
altogether very different from any other species I am acquainted
with.
Fig. 1, plant, nat. size. Fig. 2, portion of a leaf. Fig. 3, leaves.
Fig. 4, perichætium. Fig. 5, perichætial leaf. Fig. 6, capsule,
Fig. 7. outer peristome. Fig. 8, inner ditto.—