G R I M M I A Donniana.
Bearded Alpine Grimmia.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
Gen. Char. F r in g e simple, o f 16 teeth, broadest at
their base. Flowers terminal. V e i l cylindrical.
■$pec. Char. Leaves lanceolate, acute, hair-pointed.
Capsule elliptical. Fringe not pierced. Lid
straight.
Syn. Grimmia Donniana. Sm. F I . B r i t . 1198.
T h e name of this new moss is intended to preserve the
memory of its original discoverer Mr. George Donn, a great
contributor to this work and to the Flora Britannica, who gathered
it on large stones near a water-fall on a mountain in
Angusshire, 18 miles to the north of Forfar. Mr. Turner has
also found it on old pales at Beddgelart, North Wales, and
from his specimens we have delineated it.
In habit it much agrees with some species of Orthotrichum,
but the veil and fringe are those of a Grimmia. Indeed the
beautiful Grimmia crilrosa of Hedwig is nearly rfelated to it,
differing chiefly in having a nearly sessile capsule, with a wider
mouth, and the teeth most curiously pierced full of holes.
The stems of ours are short, scarcely branched, growing
in dense tufts, clothed with erect imbricated leaves, of a lanceolate
pointed form, keeled, entire, each tipped with an upright
white hair. Fruit-stalk terminal, straight, shortish,
slender, of a pale green. Capsule erect, elliptical, smooth,
brown, at length black; its mouth not much dilated. Lid
convex, with a short, straight, blunt beak. Fringe red. Veil
tipped with brown.