ftii
/•
i:
and a half in length, straight, smooth. Capsule ovate, cernuous, red.
L id conical, with a very .short beak, altogether about one-third the
length of the capsule. Outer peristome of 16 yellowish teeth ; Inner one
of a yellow membrane, the segments of w hich have a series of perforations
down the centre ; intermediate cilice solitary or in pairs, short.
This fine moss is the Hypnum brevirostre of E h r h a r t ,
and not of “ English Botany,” the plant figured in that work
being no other than H . rutahulum, a species very apt to assume
different appearances. Sir J a m e s E d w a r d S m i t h
has himself corrected this error in the last edition (the fourth)
of his Compendium, but does uot seem to be aware that the
true plant is also a native of this country.
The squarrose aspect of H . brevirostre at once places it
in the same group with H . triquetrum, squarrosum, loreum,
and other species. It is unquestionably more nearly related to
the first of these than to any other moss, but is clearly distinguished
from it by its smaller size ; hy the leaves of the stem
and larger branches only being squarrose ; by the peculiar contraction
towards the summit of all the leaves ; and, lastly, by
the longer and narrower capsule.
Fig. 1. H. brevirostre, natural size. Fig. 2. One o f the cauline leaves. Fig. 3.
L e a f frrnn a branch. Fig. 4. Perichcetium. Fig. 5. Capsule with the lid.
Fig. 6. Portion o f the outer peristome. Fig. 7. Portion o f the inner ditto,
magnified.