iatures. They are more or less crisped when dry, and possess an opake
dense structure. Fruitstalk terminal, 1-2 inches long, straight, robust.
Capsule ovate or ovate-oblong, more or less cernuous, even, yellow, at
length reddish-brown. Lid hemispherical, with its centre varying from
depressed to slightly mamillate.
Mr D r u m m o n d , the first and only discoverer of this interesting
moss in Great Britain, detected it in its barren state in the
year 1824. The luxuriance of the specimens he had the kindness
to communicate to me, afford every hope that fructification will
still be found by some fortunate individual. I am nevertheless
unwilling to postpone its introduction into the present
work to a more distant period, and shall follow the example
afforded me by the authors of the Muscologia Britannica, who
have completed their illustration of it, with the assistance of
foreign capsules.
The majority of the continental botanists sustain two species
of Timmia ; and one, M. H e s s l e r , has added a third
{T. bavarica). The distinctions between the whole are very
trifling ; and the last named species being intermediate between
the other two, rather confirms the opinion that one only is at
present known to exist. The character obtained from the operculum,
we are told by B r i d e l (the boldest creator of species
perhaps known), is not constant ; and the leaves, I have ascertained,
from numerous authentic specimens, not to retain their
alleged specific proportional characters.
The inner peristome of this moss is very curious : at the
base is a membrane nearly quite flat, which splits at the top
into 32 segments, each of which is variously perforated, or even
apparently formed of two ciliæ connected together hy transverse
bars, which has induced Mr W a l k e r A r n o t t to consider
the inner peristome as composed of 64 ciliæ. On the other
hand, these 64 ciliæ or segments are so generally found cohering
together at their summits into 16 divisions, that M. H e s s l
e r counts that number, and defines them to he quadripartite.
I prefer, however, to enumerate 32, the farther division being
too irregular to be w'ell marked, as may he seen from H e d -
avig’s figure of T. megapolitana ; and because there is more'
uniformity and individuality between each of such ciliæ, than
in any other combination.
Fig. 1. T . megapolitana, natural size. Fig. 2. Leaf. Fig. 3. Young calyptra.
Fig. 4. Capsule. Fig. 5. Lid o f T . megapolitana c f authors. Fig. 6.
Lid o f T.austriaca i f authors. Fig. 7. Teeth, o f the outer petistome. Fig. 8.
Portion i f the inner peristmne, with fo u r segments. Fig. 9> Sporules ; magnified.