CRYPTOGAMS Musci.
G en. Char. Caps, ovate-oblong, from a lateral scaly
sheath. Outer fringe o f 16 teeth, dilated at the b a se :
inner a variously-toothed membrane. Veil smooth.
Spec. Char. Stem creeping, pinnated. Leaves loosely
spreading, ovate, serrated, pointed, flattish, with
two plaits at the base; the upper ones curved.
Capsule cylindrical, inclining. Lid conical, short.
Syn. Hypnum silesianum. Web. and Mohr Ft. Germ.
343.
Leskia Seligeri. Bridel. Muse. v. 2. p. 2. 47.
T h i s m o s s , n ew to o u r B ritish F lo ra , an d u n d e sc rib ed by
all a u th o rs b u t th o se we have c ite d , was g a th e red o n B e n
L o y a l in S u th e rla n d by o u r o fte n -m e n tio n e d friends M e ssrs.
H o o k e r a n d B o rre r in th e sum m e r o f 1808. T h e fru it was
th e n fu lly rip e an d h ad dro p p ed its lid .
It is a sm a ll c re ep in g tu fte d b ran ch ed sp e c ie s, w h ic h we
have h e sita ted w h e th e r to refer to th e n e ig h b o u rh o o d o f cu-
pressiforme, t. I 8 6 0 ; b u t 'p e r h a p s it will range b e st in th e
5 th se c tio n o f th e g e n u s, “ capsules inclining; shoots round,
the leaves imbricated every way,” su ch b e in g th e d isp o sitio n
o f its leaves, e x c e p t towa rds th e en d o f e ach b ra n c h , w he re
th e y curve d ow nw a rd s . T h e ir fo rm is n e arly o v a te , w ith a
lo n g sh a rp p o in t, fla ttis h , se rrated , w ith o u t rib o r n e rv e , b u t
w h e n dry two p la its are o b se rvable a t th e ba se . S h e a th s a t
th e ba se o f th e b ra n c h e s , so lita ry . F ru its ta lk a b o u t a n in c h
lo n g , o f a lig h t red d ish b row n . C ap su le in c lin in g , n o t p e n d
u lo u s , o v a to -c y lin d ric a l, a little c u rv ed , lig h t b row n , c o n tra
c te d an d lo n g itu d in a lly b u t irreg u la rly ru g o se , w ith a wide
m o u th , w h e n d ry . F rin g e g re e n ish -y e llow . M r . H o o k e r
co n firm s th e o b se rv a tio n s o f W e b e r a n d M o h r , th a t it is th e
Fringe o f a Hypnum, n o t a Jfeskea.