/6<9.
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DICRANUM varium.
Variable Fork-moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musd.
Gen. Char. Caps, oblong. Fringe of 16 flat, cloven
teeth, a little inflexed.
S pec. Char. Stem generally simple. Leaves capillary,
rather leaning to one side, waved at the point. Cap-
sule urn-shaped, drooping, tapering at the base.
Syn. Dicranum varium. Hedw. Sp. Muse. 133. Crypt,
v. 2. 93. t. 34. Roth. Germ. v. 3. 170.
D . simplex. Sibth. 282.
Bryum simplex. Linn. Sp. PI. 1587- Buds. 486.
With. 800. , Hull. 254. Abbot. 239. Dicks. H.
Sicc.fasc. 14. 20, & 17* 21.
B. trichodes, capsulis rubris cemuis. Dill. Muse. 390.
t. 50. f . 59.
Mnium simplex. Relh. 418.
A N A T IV E o f grassy sandy m o ist places, n o t o f frequent
o c cu rren ce , n o r is it very visible to superficial observers. These
specimens were ga the red by M r. T em p le to n , in a mo ist pa rt of
a fie ld n e a rL am b e g m o o rs, Ire la n d , in February 1801.
T h is m in u te species o f Fo rk -m o ss is a n n u a l, and forms
large b rig h t-g re en th in patches. T h e stem, th o u g h generally
simple (whence th e L in n e a n n am e ), h av in g b e en found by
H edw ig to be o ften variously b ran ch ed , h e changed its denom
in a tio n to varium; and we adopt it readily, as m an y species
are m ore tru ly sim p le . T h e leaves lean m ore or less to one
side, and are c apillary, soft and flexible, n o t r ig id ; th e ir ends
o b tu s e ; th e ir bases dilated : u n d e r a powerful microscope they
are fo u n d to be un ifo rm ly , n o t very evidently, re ticu la ted , with
a n entire even edge. F ru it-s ta lk te rm in a l, sh in in g , reddish.
Capsule c lu b -o r u rn -sh a p e d , w ith a spreading m o u th , inclined,
an d a t len g th drooping. F rin g e red. L id awl-shaped, curved,
tum id a t th e base, scarcely sh o rte r th an th e capsule. Veil con
ic a l, th in and white.