/ y z [ 1990 ]
D l C R A N U M patens.
Spreading-branched ForJc-moss.
CR YPTOGAMIA Musci.
G en. Char. Caps, oblong. Fringe of 16 flat, cloven
teeth, a little inflexed.
S pec. C h a r . Stem ascending. Lesser branches spreading.
Leaves lanceolate, acute, straight, single-
ribbed. Capsule nearly ovate. Fruitstalk twisting.
Syn. Dicranum patens. Sm. FI. Brit. 1213.
Bryum patens. Dicks. Crypt, fasc. 2. 6. t. 4. f . 8.
G a t h e r e d by M e ssrs. H o o k e r and Borrer on Ben Nevis,
whe re it grows o n stones in th e alpine rivule ts. M r. G . Don
finds it p len tifu lly in th e shires o f In v e rn e ss and Angus^ and
M r . T u rn e r observed it o n S n ow don in W a le s . Fo re ig n bo-
ta n is ts seem n o t a cq u a in ted w ith th is species. I t is perennial,
b e a rin g fru it ra th e r early in sum m e r.
T h e stems ascend in a lax spreading m a n n e r, and their
b la c k wiry bases are o ften stripped o f le a v e s; above th ey are
b ra n ch e d , leafy, th e sh o rte r b ran ch e s spreading sometimes h o riz
o n ta lly . Leaves a lm o st u p rig h t o r b u t little spreading,
lin e a r-lan c eo la te fo r th e m o st p a rt, a cu te , b u tp o iu tle s s , keeled,
sin g le -rib b ed , e n tire , w h e n dry slightly re v o lu te ; th e ir colour
is a da rk blackish h u e , ex c ep t th e y o u n g o n e s, w h ic h are of
a lig h t an d plea sant gre en , and some o f th e la tte r are often
a lm o st ovate a t th e ir base. F ru itsta lk s late ra l, sh o rt, in p rocess
o f tim e b e com in g curved or tw isted . Capsule e rec t, ovate
o r e llip tic al. M r . J . D . Sowerby ha s observed it to be marked
w ith 8 slig h tly p rom in e n t rib s. T h e frin g e is c rim so n . L id
c o n ic a l, stra ig h t. V e il to o th e d a t th e base.