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D 1 C R A N U M aciculare.
Dark Mountain Fork-moss.
/ f / i
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
G en, Char. Caps, oblong. Fringe of 1C flat, cloven
teeth, a little inflexed.
Spec. Char. Stem ascending, branched. Leaves lanceolate,
obtuse, somewhat spreading, a little inclining
to one side. Capsule cylindrical. Lid awl-shaped.
Syn. Dicranum aciculare. Hedw. Sp. Muse. 135. Crypt,
v. 3. 79. t. 33. Sm. FI. Brit. 1212. Turn. Muse.
Hib. 6 7 .
Bryum aciculare. Linn. Sp. PI. 1583. Huds. 479.
Hull. 261. Light/. 725. Dicks, H. Sicc. fasc.
6. 20.
B. montanum hemiheterophyllum, operculis acutis.
jDill, Muse. 366. t. 46. ƒ 25.
B. Hypnoides erectum montanum, erectis capitulis
acutis. Dill, in Raii Syn. 94.
Mnium aciculare. With. 798.
F r e q u e n t and plentiful in m o u n ta in o u s s itu a tio n s, about
riv u le ts an d o th e r w a tery places, flowering in a u tum n , and
rip en in g fru it in th e sp rin g . T h e stems are about 2 o r 3 inches
h ig h , tap e r a t th e base, b ran ch ed and leafy above, forming
loose tu fts . Leaves im b ric a ted o n all sides, b u t ra th e r in c
lin in g o n e way, o p aq u e, d a rk g re en , ex c ep t th e y o u n g ones,
o v a to -lan c e o la le , o b tu se , ra th e r c o n c av e , som ew h a t revolute,
e n tire , w ith a stro n g rib , b u t n o te rm in a l p o in t o r hair.
F ru it-s ta lk s towa rds th e to p s o f th e b ra n ch e s, finely twisted
w h e n d ry , re d -b row n , so o n b e com in g 'Black. C apsule perfe
ctly e re c t, sm o o th , c y lin d ric a l, som ewh a t e llip tic al. Lid
aw lsh ap ed , stra ig h t, red a t th e base. F rin g e deep crimson.
Veil th e shape o f th e lid, split in to several tee th a t its base.
When growing in water, the whole moss becomes nearly
black, and is Dillenius’s t. 46. f . 26. Bryum hypnoides repens
aquaticum, erectis capitulis acutis. Raii Syn. 94.