i fO/ i
TORTULA unguiculata.
Bird! s-claw Screw-moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
Gen. Char. F r in g e simple, of numerous capillary
teeth, spirally and repeatedly twisted together.
Spec. Char. Stem branched. Leaves spreading, lanceolate,
keeled, pointed. Capsule ovate. Lid
curved.
Syn. Tortula unguiculata. Sm . F I . B r i t . 1251. Sibth.
28S ? T u rn . M u s e . H ib . 47.
Bryum unguiculatum. H u d s . 482. With. 830.
H u l l . 262. R elh. 426 ? Abbot. 242. D ic k s . H .
Sice. fu s e . 6. 21.
B. unguiculatum et barbatum, surculis in summi-
tate crassioribus. D i l l . M u s e . 383. t. 4 8 ./ . 47.
B. angustis viridibus foliis, capitulis erectis, brevi-
bus pediculis insidentibus, calyptra falcata, vel
avium unguiculas referente. D i l l . in R a i i Syn. 96.
F O U N D , composing dense tufts, on walls or on dry sandy
ground, producing its fruit from March to May. We are
obliged to Mr. W . Borrer for these specimens, which .agree
with the plant of Dillenius and Dickson, though not with that
of Hedwig. See our T. mucronulata, v. 19. t. 1299.
The stems are from half an inch to an inch high, more or
less branched, level-topped, and entangled. Leaves deep
green, in exposed places yellowish, of a narrow lanceolate
form, with a long taper point, entire, keeled, with a strong
midrib; by drying they turn inward. Fruitstalk not quite
erect, deep red, scarcely an inch high, terminal, at least till
the lateral branches overtop it. Capsule erect, ovate, not cylindrical,
smooth, brown. Lid half as long, reddish, awl-
shaped, incurved. Veil with a brown point, soon incurved in
its position from the swelling of the fruit, and compared by
Dillenius to a bird’s claw.