HY P N UM laricinum.
Larch Feather Moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
Gen. Char. Fruit-stalk lateral. Peristome double ;
outer of 16 teeth ; inner a membrane cut into
16 equal segments, and usually with intermediate
filiform processes. Cah/ptra dimidiate.
Spec. Char. Stems erect, simply pinnate. Branches
straggling, flagelliform. Leaves erect, prominent
at the base, loosely imbricated, cordate-acuminate,
with serrulate revolute margins, nerved
half way, deeply channeled and keeled, papillose
at the back. Capsule cylindrical, incurved ; lid
conical, obtuse, subrostrate.
Syn. Hypnum abietinum. Swartz, Muse. Suec. 54.*
H. laricinum. Hook. Brit. FI. v. 2. P. 1. 87. (not
of Hook. Muse. Exot. t. 35.)
Jb^OUND on Knutsford Moor, in Cheshire, July 1831 :
our specimens were gathered in April 1832.
A native of marshy ground, occurring in small loose
patches of a yellowish green colour. Stems two or three
inches long, thickened towards the top, copiously beset, as
well as the branches, with greenish branched radicular
fibres, partly attached to the bases of the leaves, which are
loosely and distantly imbricated in five rows, nearly erect,
nerved above half way, their bases rounded and very prominent,
those of the stem slightly turned to one side, very
little altered in appearance when dry, their texture membranous
and glossy, the reticulation quite different from
what is found in H. abietinum, but, as in that species, the
leaves are rough at the back with minute papillae, though
less copiously. Perigonial leaves orbicular, acuminate, concave,
their points recurved. Perichaetial leaves lanceolate,
acuminate, erect, striated, serrulate, nerved above midway.
Fruitstalks numerous, solitary, above two inches long,
smooth and shining. Capsule cernuous, much bent. Lid
sometimes conical-obtuse, with an apiculus; in other cases
somewhat rostrate. Calyptra white.
This species is remarkable for its leaves being furnished
* See Hook. & Tayl. Muse. Brit. ed. 2. 175.