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B R Y U M calcareum.
Chalk Bryum.
C R T P T O G AM I A Mufii.
Gen. Char. Cap/, w i t h a l i d . ^ « V f m o o t h . Flower-
J la lk f r o m a t e r m i n a l t u b e r c l e .
Spec. Char. S t e m n o n e . C a p f u l e s e r e d t , o b c o n i c a l ,
b o r d e r e d w i t h f i x t e e n c i l i c e . L e a v e s e r e d t , c y l i n d
r i c a l , b l u n t i l h .
Syn. B r y u m c a l c a r e u m . D ic k /. Crypt. Fa/c. I I . 3. t. 4.
f 3 - W ith . B o t. A r r . V . 3. 93. R e lh . Cant.
Suppl. I I I . 9.
F o u n d in great plenty at Dartford, May 24, 1794, covering
the fides of the chalk-pit neareft the weft end of the
town. Each plant grows from a minute cavity in the chalk,
which it feems to occupy for fome time without flowering,
during which early Hate it makes the chalk look as if clothed
with bright green velvet. The plants are folitary; the roots
fmall and fibrous, not creeping. Leaves 6 or 8, eredt, broad and
Iheathing at the bafe, then narrow, cylindrical, obtufe, fmooth
and entire. Stalk fcarcely exceeding the leaves in length, upright,
round, green. Capfule eredt, inverfely conical, bordered
with 16 lanceolate, equal, fpreading teeth. Lid almoft as long
as the capfule, with a curved beak. Veil oblique, reaching
about half way down the capfule.
Mr. Dickfon and Mr. Crowe firft afcertained this minute
fpecies on chalky ground about Newmarket heath, and the former
publilhed it in his valuable work on the new Cryptoga-
mous plants of Great Britain, a publication of the firft merit for
originality and folidity of obfervation, and which proves how
much a confummate inveftigator may detedt even on the molt
beaten ground.