thirds squarrose and recurved from the middle, those o f the upper
third imbricated and e lo n g a ted ; the other branches pendent and
appressed to stem, slender, terete, with all the leaves imbricated ;
cuticular cells elongated, the retort cells perforated but scarcely
prominent at apex. Branch leaves from a v e ry concave base,
broadly ovate, suddenly becoming lanceolate a b o v e ; the margin
involute in the upper third, the apex minutely 3 -4 toothed,
bordered by 2-3 rows o f ve ry narrow cells ; hyaline cells with
numerous annular fibres and two rows of large pores ; chlorophyllose
cells compressed, entirely enclosed by the hyaline, but coming
close to both surfaces in the lower part of leaf.
Fruit placed in the coma or in the upper fascicles, moderately
e le v a ted ; bracts somewhat distant, concave-convolute, the lower
oblongo-elliptic, the upper ve ry broad, obovate, emarginate and
slightly fimbriate at apex, la xly areolate, without fibres or pores.
Spores yellow. Male amentula terete, clavate, yellowish green ;
the bracts slightly squarrose, oblong-lanceolate, the basal cells with^
out fibres and pores, the upper shorter, with annular fibres and
small pores.
Hab.— About boggy springs and the shady sides of moorland streams and in
woods. Fr. August.
Not uncommon throughout Europe and the middle and northern states of North
America.
T his fine species varies much in size and robustness, but in its
ordinary state is readily known b y its strongly squarrose branch
leaves. T h e stem leaves also have scarcely any border, and their
hyaline cells are almost uniform throughout the whole extent o f
the leaf.
Var. /3 . sqtiarrosulum (L e sq .), Schimp.
Plants small, slender, in large soft tufts, deep green above,
whitish below. Lea ve s resembling those o f the type, but only half
the size.
S y n o n .— squarrosulum, L e s q u e r e u x , M s s . K l in g g r . in Sehr, der K. Phys.
CEk. Gesel. zu Königs. 1 8 7 2 , p. 8.
Sph. squarrosum ß. squarrosulum, S c h im p . Torfm. p. 7 1 ; Synops. p. 6 7 7 . M i l d e
Bryol. Siles. p. 3 8 8 . Russow, Torfm. p. 6 4 . B r a i t h w . Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 2 7 . ’
H a b .— In ditches on subalpine heaths, and at edges of bogs. Not common.
E u r o p e .— Marais des Ponts, Swiss Jura (Lesquereux). Sweden and Finland
(Lindberg). In the Riesengebirge, Prussia, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg, and Baden
(Milde). England: Darnholm, Goathland, Yorkshire (Braithwaite). Scotland:
Scotstown Moor, Old Machar, Aberdeen (Sim).
i
This form is regarded by Lindberg as a young or imperfectly
developed state o f Sph. squarrosum, and has never been found in
fruit. It is generally of a more dingy green colour.
Var. y. imbricatum, Schimp.
Plants robust. Branch leaves imbricated throughout their
length, or with the apex only recurved.
Sy n o n .— Sc h im p . Synops. ed. 2, p. 836 (1876).
H a b .— Near Gefle, Sweden (C. Hartman).
This variety I only know by the brief description given in Schimper’s Synopsis.
Var. S. laxum, B r a i t h w .
Plants loosely tufted, pale whitish green, soft, 6 -10 in. high.
Stems slender, fragile ; the leaves short, broad, quadrate, la xly
areolate, deeply fimbriate at the truncate a p e x ; the sides with a
border o f narrow cells, which is widest at base. Branches in
distant fascicles, dependent, ve ry long, attenuated ; the leaves laxly
incumbent, divergent, not squarrose, or only slightly recurved at
points, broadly ovate, acute.
Sy n o n .— Sph. fimbriatum var. robustum, B r a it h w . Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 44
(1877)-
H ab.— In ditches in the old alum works at Eskdale, near Whitby, Yorkshire
(Anderson).
This form is v e ry peculiar, from its soft texture, straight leaves,
and long pendent branches, which with the broad fimbriate stem
leaves appear to connect it directly with Sph. fimbriatum.
T h e plants are generally stained o f an ochraceous or rusty
colour in the lower part, by the iron set free from the roasted alum
rock.
Var. e. subieres. L in d e .
Plants v e ry slender, elongated, 5 -10 in. high, bright green.
Branches elongated, slender ; the leaves imbricated, with the upper
half recurved and attenuated toward apex.
Sy n o n .— B r a it h w . Sphag. Brit. Exsic. n. 28.
H a b.— Subalpine bogs. Not common.
E u r o p e .— Finland (Lindberg). Skeggles, Westmoreland (Barnes); Saltersgate
Moor, Yorkshire (Anderson).
A ve ry pretty variety, having much greater resemblance to
Sph. intermedium than to Sph, squarrosum, the stem leaves are,
however, quite normal.