T h is variety is not so frequent as the typical form, into which
it gradually passes, and the stem leaves have usually their apical
cells fibrose, and with one or two large pores. It sometimes grows
intermixed with the true Sph, squarrostim, as in the specimens from
Sutton Park, issued in my Exsiccata.
G r o u p B.— SUBSECUNDA.
Plants soft, slender. Branches terete, their cuticular cells em p ty ;
branch leaves erecto-patent or somewhat imbricated, usually sub-
secund, ovate, rather obtuse with the apex truncate, the margin
involute in the upper half.
5. Sphagnum tenellum, E h r h a r t .
Pl. VI.
Dioicous, slender, extremely fragile, pale greenish yellow, the
stem with two layers o f cuticular cells. Stem leaves ovate-oblong,
with a broadish border o f narrow cells. Branches with large
retort cells recurved at n e c k ; branch leaves ovato-lanceolate,
3-toothed at apex, with a broad border ; hyaline cells porose on the
upper surface, reticulate-fibrose; chlorophyllose cells triangular,
interposed between the hyaline at back.
S y n o n .— Sph. tenellum, E h r h . in Herb. Petrop. (1795), teste Lindberg.
H o f f m . Deutsch!. El. ii. p. 22, n. i, in obs. (1796). P e r s o o n , M s s . in Herb.
Swartzii. B r i d . Mant. Muse. p. i (1819), et Bryol. Univ. i. p. 4 (1826). R ö h l ,
Moosgesch. Deutsch!, i. p. 42. H a r t m . Skand. FI. ed. 9, ii. p. 83 (1864). L in d b .
in Ofv. IC. Vet. Ak. Forh. xix. p. 142, n. 13 (1862). J e n s e n , in Nat. For. Vid.
Medd. 1863, p. 238. FI. Danica, t. 2755 (1867). H o b k . Syn. Br. Moss. p. 2 3
(1873). B r a i t h w . Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 11 (1877). Non N e e s , H s c h . S t . Bryol.
Germ., nec F u n c k , Taschenh.
Sph. cymUfolium v a r . tenellum, B r id . M u s e . Ree. ii. p t . i , p . 2 4 ( 1 7 9 8 ) .
S w a r t z , A d n o t . B o t . p . 7 1 .
Sph. ohtusifolium v a r . tenellum, W e b . M o h r , B o t . T a s c h . p . 72 ( 18 0 7 ) .
Sph. molluscum, B r u c h , in Regens. FI. 1825, ii. p. 633. Mouo. N e s t l . St.
Crypt. Vog.-Rhen. fase. 9 , n. 808 (1826), cum obs. “ Testante cel. Persoon in litt,
species a suo Sph. tenello vix ac ne vix diversa." B r i d . Bry. Univ. i. p. 753. H ü b e n .
Muse. Germ. p. 26 (1833). C. M O l l . Syn. Muse. i. p . 95 ( 1 8 4 g ) ; Deutsch!. Moos,
p. 125 (1853). W il s . Bry. Brit. p. 19, t. Ix. (1855). H a r tm . Skand. FI. ed. 7,
p. 398 (1858). S c h im p . Torfm. p. 71, t. 21 (1858); Synops. p. 682 (i860), et
ed. 2, p. 846 (1876). B e r k e l . Handb. Br. Moss, p. 306, t. 2, fig. 3 (1863). M i l d e ,
Bryol. Siles. p. 394 (1869). S c h l i e p h . in Verb. Z. B. Gesel. Wien, 1865, p. 406.
K l i n g g r . in Sehr, der K. Phys. CEk. Gesel. zu Königs. 1872, p. 9.
D io icou s ; in dense soft tufts, pale greenish yellow or tinged
with ochraceous above.
Stems 2-6 in. high, slender, extremely fragile, simple or bipartite,
straw-coloured; cells o f the peripheral layers yellowish; cuticular
cells in two layers, small, without pores. Stem leaves large, erecto-
patent or reflexed, ovate-oblong, slightly narrowed toward the
point, which has several short, obtuse teeth, minutely au r ic led ;
margin incurved, broadly bordered with v e ry narrow elongated
cells; hyaline cells in the upper h alf densely fibrillose with few pores,
below narrow and empty.
Ramuli 2-3 in a fascicle, 1-2 divergent, short, rather obtuse,
pale re d ; cuticular cells v e ry unequal, smallest quadrate; retort cells
large, numerous, recurved, and projecting at the attenuated apex,
which is perforated and o f a yellow colour.
Leaves o f the divergent branches patent or la x ly incumbent,
sometimes subsecund, broadly ovate or ovato-lanceolate, with 3-5
small teeth at apex, incurved at margin in the upper p a r t ; border
of about four rows o f extremely narrow elongated cells; hyaline
cells broadly rhombic above, three times longer than broad below,
all with numerous strong reticulose fibrils, and many small pores on
the upper su r fa ce ; in section the hyaline cells are prominent and
confluent on the inner surface, but separated at back b y the interposed
triangular chlorophyllose cells.
Perichaetia placed in the coma and upper fascicles, the bracts
large, imbricated, outer oblongo-lanceolate, inner ligulate, densely
fibrillose in the upper half.
Capsule globose, small, thin-walled, ochraceous b row n ; spores
sulphur-coloured.
Male plants in distinct tufts, or rarely intermixed with the
female and resembling th em ; amentula small, orange-coloured ;
the bracts broadly ovate, resembling the branch leaves in structure.
H ab.— Spongy open heaths and wet hollows in hilly places. Fr. May and June.
E u r o p e .— Scandinavia; jfrequent. Sporadically through Silesia, Westphalia,
the Black Forest, North Germany, the Vosges, Belgium, &c. England: Lancashire,
Yorkshire, Westmoreland, Sussex, Kent (very fine at Keston Common), and other
counties. Scotland: In Perthshire, Forfar, Ross, Kincardine, and other counties;
Shetland at N. Maven (Sim). Ireland: Kerry and other counties (Dr. Moore).
N. A m e r ic a .— Sparingly in the northern States.
This delicate little Sphagnum is a striking object when in fruit,
as this is produced in abundance, and renders it ve ry conspicuous ;
while in the barren state it has, no doubt, been frequently overlooked.
It is most readily known by the large, curved retort cells
A