t 2227 ]
D I C R A N U M Starkii.
Starkian Fork-moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
Gen. Char. Caps, oblong. Fringe of 16 flat, cloven
teeth, a little inflexed.
Spec. Char. S tem som ew h a t b ra n c h e d . Leaves awl-
sh ap ed , cu rv ed o n e w ay , sin g le -n e rv ed , e n tir e ;
ov a te a n d sh e a th in g a t th e base. C ap su le obovato-cy-
lin d ric a l, d ro o p in g , with a little swelling b en e a th it.
L id as lo n g as th e cap su le.
S y n . D id ra n um Stark ii. Web. & Mohr, Crypt. Germ.
' v. 1. 189. n. 27.
D i s c o v e r e d on the alpine rocks of Ben Lawers, by Mr.
G. Don, who sent us this only specimen, which we have carefully
compared with one of Weber and Mohr’s in Mr. Turner’s
possession. Their moss was found in rather alpine parts of
Silesia, by the Rev. Mr. Starke, a distinguished cryptogamist j
and they consider as the same Schleicher’s D. curvifoliumj
Cent. 4 . n-. 14.
In our vol. 28. p. 1989, D. longifolium is said to have been
found in Scotland by Mr. G. Don, but it proves only Mr.
Dickson’s BryUm longifolium, our D.falcatum. The present
moss was since sent us by our indefatigable correspondent, as
perhaps real longifolium. It comes indeed near that species,
agreeing with it in size, but its leaves are not so long nor so capillary
j they have moreover a central nerve, and there is a
swelling, or struma, at the base of the capsule. ~ It differs
from falcatum, t. 1989, in its much greater size, and its more
elongated and cylindrical capsule, contracted, not dilated, at
the mouth. The lid also is longer in proportion and more
slender. We suspect that some great museologists may have
Confounded this with the real longifolium.