m
[ 1345 ]
GRIMMIA rivularis.
River Grimmia.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
Gen. Char. F r in g e s i m p l e , o f 16 t e e t h , b r o a d e s t at
t h e i r b a s e . Flowers t e r m i n a l . V e il c y l i n d r i c a l .
Spec. Char. L e a v e s o v a t e , r a t h e r p o i n t e d , b e a r d l e s s .
C a p s u l e c u p - s h a p e d , s e s s i l e . L i d s t r a i g h t . Stem
m u c h b r a n c h e d .
Syn. G r i m m i a r i v u l a r i s . Sm . FI. B r i t . 1200. Turn,
M u s e . H ib e rn . 2 1 . t. 2 . f . 2.
SENT from Northumberland by Mr. Winch. It grows on
rocks and stones in the rivulets of mountainous countries,
bearing fruit in March.
It is next akin to the common Grimmia apocarpa figured
in v. 16. 1 .1134, but differs in many essential particulars,—the
want of bristles, or transparent white points, to the leaves,
the shorter capsule, and much smaller and flatter lid.
The stems are perennial, 2 inches or more in height, much
branched, spreading, leafy, black and wiry; their lower part
bristly with the remaining ribs of old leaves. Leaves rather
spreading, of a dark dull green, ovate, entire, keeled, bluntish,
with one rib. Capsules solitary, terminal, sessile or nearly
so, overtopped by the surrounding leaves, of a short cup-like
form, smooth, brown. Lid somewhat hemisphaerical, with
a little straight point. Fringe of 16 red imperforate teeth,
transversely striated, turning brown with age.