ovate-acuminate, truncate, with 6 -10 minute te e th ; the chlorophyllose
cells central, compressed. Perichætial bracts ovate-
oblong.
S y n o n .— Sph. Angstromii, C. H a r tm . Skand. FI. ed. 7, p. 399 (1858). L in d b .
in Ö fv. K . Vet. Ak. Förh. xix. p. 140, n. 10 (1862). S c h im p . Synops. ed. 2,
p. 842 (1876). B r a it h w . in Monthl. Micr. Journ. July, 1873, p. 14, pl. xxii.
Sph. cymbifolium var. ß. cordifolium, H a r tm . op. cit. ed. 3-6 p. p.
Sph. insttlosum, A n g s t r . M ss. Sc h p r . Synops. p. 683 (i860). M il d e , Bryol.
Siles. p. 390 (1869). S c h l ie p h . in Verh. Z. B. Gesel. Wien, 1865, p. 405.
Dioicous ; in large, soft, dense, pale green tufts, light brownish-
yellow below. Stems simple or dichotomous, 6 -10 in. high,
whitish, with three layers o f thin cuticular cells, free from fibres
and pores ; cells o f the peripheral layers yellowish white. Cauline
leaves broadly obovate-lingulate, minutely auricled, the apex truncate
and slightly eroso-fimbriate ; hyaline cells in upper half
rhomboid, at middle base flexuose-rhomboid, thence to margins
v e ry narrow, flexuose-linear, free from pores and fibres, or with a
few faint fibres in the upper part.
Branches crowded, 3-5 in a fascicle, 1-2 patulous, arcuato-
decurved, the rest slender, greatly elongated, appressed to stem;
the retort cells small, cylindric, perforated at the scarcely projecting
apex.
Ramuline leaves densely crowded, indistinctly 5-ranked, when
moist turgidly imbricate, when dry erecto-patent, opake, concave,
widely ovate-acuminate; the apex broadly truncate, with 6 - io
minute, unequal, obtuse teeth; the margin incurved in the upper
two-thirds, and with a faint border o f two rows o f extremely
narrow cells ; the hyaline cells annulate-fibrose, minutely and
Sparingly porose, the chlorophyllose cells enclosed by the hyaline,
much compressed; leaves o f the pendent branches with the apex
rounded and indistinctly toothed. Capsules seated in the coma or
upper fascicles, on a thickish white peduncle ; the perichætium
inflated, oblong, whitish ; lower bracts ovate-acuminate, muticous,
middle broadly ovate-oblong, innermost broadly oblong, deeply
concave and often cucullate at apex, all with v e ry narrow linear
areolation, quite free from fibres and pores. Spores ferruginous.
Male plants growing in the same tufts with the female, more
slender, the amentula short, ovate, closely imbricated, pale
green, crowded in the coma ; bracts roundish ovate, in the lower
part of lax wide curved non-porose cells, often free from fibres.
Â
becoming denser, fibrose, and porose toward the broadly truncate
toothed apex.
H ab.— Deep marshes in the north of Europe, forming great tufts in the water,
like islands. Fr. July.
E u r o p e .— Karesuando, in Tornean Lapland (Liestadius, 1825); Lycksele, in
Lulea Lappmark (Angström, 1858); also in Pitean Lapland, between Lakes
O
Skutijaur and Storavaviken, and in many places in XJmean Lapland (Angström).
Finland: At Kajana (Malmgren); Ruovesi (Simming), and Sarvivaara, in Ostrobothnia
(Brotherus). Norway: Drivstuen, in the Dovrefjeld (Berggren).
This fine species has not much affinity with either o f those with
which it is grouped, nor indeed with any o th e r s ; in aspect it most
reminds us o f Sph. cymbifolium, from which it is at once distinguished
by its toothed branch leaves and non-fibrose cuticular cells.
It has not y et been found in America.
9. Sphagnum molle, S u l l i v a n t .
Pl. XII.
Monoicous ; in ve ry soft, dense tufts, whitish green above, pale
brown below. Stem with 2-3 strata o f cuticular cells. Stem
leaves large, obovato-spathulate, 3-toothed at apex, v e ry narrowly
bordered; the hyaline cells fibrose and porose in the upper part.
Leaves o f divergent branches oblong-ovate, convolute above, the
apex truncate, with 5 -6 irregular t e e th ; hyaline cells prominent
and confluent at back, the chlorophyllose triangular, projecting
between the hyaline at the concave surface o f leaf.
Sy n o n .— Sph. molle. S u l l . Musci Allegh. n. 205 (1845) ; Mosses of Un. St.
p. 13, n. 14 (1856) ; Ic. Muse. p. 7, t. 4 (1864).
Sph. tabulare. Su l l . M u s c . Allegh. n . 20 4 ; Mosses of Un. St. p . 12 , n. 1 3 .
Sph. compactum 8. ramulosum, C. M ü l l . Syn. Muse. ii. p. 539 (1851).
Monoicous or dioicous ? growing in soft, densely cushioned tufts ;
yellowish green or whitish green above, pale brown below. Stem
3-5 in. high, pale green, slender, with 2-3 layers of non-porose
cuticular cells, those o f the peripheral layers pale yellowish. Stem
leaves large, closely set, obovate-spathulate, minutely auricled,
patent and d e fle x ed ; the margin involute above, v e ry narrowly
bordered; apex with three teeth and a few smaller ones b e low ;
hyaline cells weakly fibrose in the upper third.
Ramuli crowded, 3 -4 in a fascicle, nearly alike, short, slender,
divergent or ascending ; the retort cells elongated, a little recurved
at apex. Branch leaves divergent or subsquarrose, oblong-ovate,