Z8Z
C l a s s a n d O r d e r CRYPTOGAMIA MUSCI, L i™ — N a t . O r d . MUSCI, J uss.
G E N E R IC C H A R A C T E R .
Seta lateralis. Peristomium duplex ; ext. e dentihus 16 : int. membrana plicata,
\ 6-ladniata, ciliis alternantibus. Calyptra dimidiata.—H o o k .
F ruitstalk lateral. Peristome double : the outer one o f 16 teeth ; the inner
one of a plicate membrane, cleft into 16 segments, with ciliary processes
between them. Calyptra dimidiate.
S P E C I F IC c h a r a c t e r .
H ypnum a lp e stre ; caulibus repentibus, ramis erectis subsimplicibus ; foliis im-
bricatis, patentibus, late ovatis, integerrimis, obtusis, I - vel 9,-nervibus, rigi-
diusculis ; theca oblonga, cernua, opercuto conico.
H. stems creeping, branches erect, nearly simple, leaves imbricated, spreading,
broadly ovate, entire, obtuse, 1- or 2 -nerved, somewhat rigid, capsule
oblong, the lid conical.
Hypnum alpestre, Swartz, Muse. Suec. p. 102. t. 6. f. 15.—Hedw. Sp. Muse.
I. p. 247. t. 44. f. 1,-4. et Schwaegr. in Sp. Muse. I I. p. 220.—Funck,
—Deutschl. Moose, p. 58. ( specim. caret) .—Brid. Suppl. Muse. II. p. 129-
— Wahl. Fl. Lapp. p. 701. quoad syn. Sw. et Hedw.
H ah. Mountain rivulets. Ben Hallum, 1824.
Plant covering the rocks, chiefly in the more rapid parts of streams, to a
considerable extent. Stems creeping, thickly entangled, divided, throwing
up numerous branches, 1 -3 inches in length, sometimes floating,
b u t more frequently nearly erect, mostly simple, obtuse at the extremity.
Leaves broadly ovate, obtuse, entire, concave, somewhat rigid, spreading,
and imbricated on all sides of the stem ; furnished with either a
single nerve reaching two-thirds of the length o f the leaf, or with two
variable shorter nerves. Perichwtial leaves nerveless, lanceolate, attenuated.
Fruitstalk about h a lf an inch in length. Capsule oblong, cernuous,
the lid conical.
The following notice from B r i d e l exactly states the discrepancies
connected with the accounts of this moss ; “ Planta
multis dubiis et amhagibus vexata, de qua non visa nihil dicam
cum descriptio et icon Hedwigianse a Swartzianis ita dissen-
tiant, ut vix credas eamdem stirpem illos prse oculis hahuisse.