T 0 It T U L A mucronulata.
P ointed-leaved Screw-moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci. #
G en. Char.^ Fringe simple, of numerous capillary
teeth, spirally and repeatedly twisted together.
Spec. Char. Stem often divided. Leaves spreading,
lanceolate, pointed, keeled. Capsule cylindrical inclining
to ovate. Lid awl-shaped.
S yn. Tor tula mucronulata. Swartz. Muse. Suec. 40.
Sm. Fl. Brit. ] 250.
T. decipiens. Sibth. 285.
Barbula unguiculata. Hedw. Sp. Muse. 118. Crypt.
v. 1. 59. t. 23, without the synonyms.
Bryum mucronulatum. Dicks. Crypt, fasc. 3. 3.
With. 817. Hull. 258.
B. tenue barbatum, foliis angustioribus et rarioribus.
Dill. Muse. 385. t. 48. ƒ . 49.
C o m m o n on walls, heaths, and sandy banks, bearing fruit
in moist weather from the end of January till April.
Roots fibrous, perennial. Stems upright, about half an
inch high, forming tufts, leafy, simple or divided. Leaves
pale green, loosely imbricated, rather spreading, lanceolate,
entire, keeled, furnished with a strong elevated rib, which
is extended beyond the tip into a short point. In some young
shoots the leaves are remote and much smaller. Stalk terminal,
solitary, erect, h'alf an inch or more in height, of a beautiful
crimson below, greenish yellow above. Capsule erect,
slightly ovate, smooth, brown, with a purple mouth. Lid
awl-shaped, mostly oblique, red or tawny, about as long as
the capsule. Fringe of the same length, red. Veil pellucid.
Sometimes the fruitstalk swells towards the top, and in that
state we suspect it to be Dr. Sibthorp’s T. unguiculata. It
often much resembles Dicranum purpureum, but the generic
character is sufficient to distinguish them.