GYMNOSTOMUM obtusum.
Da rk Beardless-moss,.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
Gen. Char. Caps, w i t h o u t a f r i n g e . Lid d e c i d u o u s .
Tie'll s e p a r a t i n g e n t i r e f r o m t h e b a s e .
Spec. Char. L e a v e s o v a t e - o b l o n g , a c u t e , f l a t , m o s t l y
e n t i r e . C a p s u l e o b o v a t e , o b t u s e . L i d a w l - s h a p e d .
Syn. G y m n o s t o m u m o b t u s u m . H e dw . Sp. M u s e . 34.
t. 2 .ƒ . 1 — 3. Sm. FI. B r i t . 1159. T u r n . M u s e .
H ib e rn . 9. t. 1 . f . g— i.
B r y u m o b t u s u m . D ic k s . Crypt, fa s c . 2. 5 . t. 4 . f . 7.
W i th . 811. Hull. 256.
T h i s little moss was found by Mr. Dickson, its original
observer, on the highland rocks and stones of Scotland. It is
not however confined to that country, but, thriving in a barren
sandy soil, is extremely common about Yarmouth. We are
obliged to Mr. Turner and Mr. Teesdale for specimens. The
fruit ripens in June. The root is believed to be annual.
This is not quite so small as the common G. truncaiulum.
It grows like that in large patches, the stems being very short,
and generally simple. Leaves oblong, inclining to ovate or
elliptical, flat, acute, beardless, generally quite entire; sometimes
we have thought them slightly toothed. They have a
strong brownish midrib, but are otherwise of a dark dull green,
turning pale and brownish by age. Fruit-stalk firm and
rather stout for its short height, which is but little more than
that of the stem, red, straight. Capsule red-brown, upright,
obovate, or rather elliptical with a wide mouth, as if abruptly
cut off. Lid very slightly convex, with an awl-shaped, curved,
bluntish point, somewhat shorter than the capsule itself. Veil
cylindrical, brownish.
’ One of Mr. Dickson’s Scottish specimens has a more taper
elongated fruit-stalk, and paler leaves, than ours generally bear.