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ORTHOTRICHUM crifpum.
Curled Orthotrichum.
CRYPTOGAM1A Mufci.
G en. Char. Capfule oblong. Fringe generally o f
a double row o f teeth. Ve il clothed with eredt
hairs.
Spec. Char. Leaves crowded, linear ; recurved and
waved by drying. Fruit-ftalk much longer than
the capfule, fwelling upward.
Sy n . Orthotrichum crifpum. Hedw. Crypt, v . 2 , 96.
t. 3 5 . Sw a r tz . Adi. H olm .ann. 1795' a47*
Bryum crifpum. W i th . 8 2 7 . Abbot. 2 3 6 .
B. ftriatum S. Linn. Sp. P I . 1 5 8 0 .
Polytrichum ftriatum §. Hud/. 4 7 1 .
P . capillaceum. H u ll. 2 4 9 .
P. capillaceum crifpum, calyptris acutis pilofiflimis.
D i l l . M u fc . 4 33. t. 55./. x i.
P . capfulis oblongo-rotundis, calyptris pilofiflimis.
R a i l Syn. 9 1 .
Weiflia crifpa. Sibth. 287.
1 HE genus of Orthotrichum, characterized by the upright
hairs which clothe its veil, is as natural anddiftinCt as anyone
in the whole vegetable fyftem; and it is high time to put an
end to the jumble of names, both generic and fpecific, with
which this and other fpecies have been encumbered.
0 . crifpum grows on the trunks of trees in feveral parts of
Britain, though lefs frequently than the ftriatum. The fruit
ripens in March and April. The Items form tufts, being
branched at the bottom, and thickly clothed with linear, acute,
entire, carinated leaves, ftraight when moift, but becoming
waved and recurved when dry, which laft is its fpecific mark;
and to this maybe added the length of the fruit-ftalk, which is
much greater than in other fpecies. Capfule with 8 ftrong
furrows; its orifice fringed with 8 pairs of recurved external
teeth, and with 8 internal capillary incurved Ample teeth. We
can find no more, though Hedwig defcribes 16. The hairs of
the veil are finely jointed.