H Y P N U M cordifolium.
Heart-leaved Feather-moss.
CRŸPTOGAMIA Musci.
G en, Char. Caps, ovate-oblong, from a lateral scaly
sheath. Outer fringe of 16 teeth, dilated at the
base: inner a variously-toothed membrane. Veil
smooth.
Spec. Char. Stem erect. Branches short. Leaves
spreading, heart-shaped, bluntish, single-ribbed,
rather remote. Lid hemisphærical, pointed.
Syn. Hypnum cordifolium. Hediu. Sp. Muse. 254.
Crypt, v. 4. 97. t. 37. Sm. FI. Brit. 1318. Swartz.
Muse. Suec. 62. Roth. Germ. v. 3. 319.
T h E above sy n o n ym s are all th a t c an be fo u n d fo r th is very-
ra re Hypnum, w h ic h was equally u n k n ow n to D ille n iu s , L in -
nseus, H a lle r an d all o th e r b o ta n ists till D r . Sw a rtz fo u n d it
in Sw ed en , a n d th e c elebrated H e dw ig in G e rm an y . N e ith e r
o f th e se em in e n t in v e stig a to rs ever saw th e lid o f th e c apsule.
F o r th a t we are obliged to D r . S ch rad e r an d to M r . W in c h ,
th e la tte r h a v in g first observed th is species in E n g la n d , g row in
g in wa tery places n e a r N ew c a s tle , an d h a v in g favoured us
w ith fine sp e c im en s, w h ic h exactly a ccord w ith th e G e rm a n
a n d Swedish o ne s. M r . G . D o n ga th e red th e same n e a r
F o rfa r in 1 7 88, an d since in m arsh es n e a r E d in b u rg h .
It is nearest akin to H. cuspidatum, t. 1425, with which it
accords in general habit and colour, but differs essentially in
its leaves being heart-shaped at their base, distant from each
other, and spreading so as to have the character of squarrose,
not imbricated; but especially in their having a central rib.
The fruit-stalks are long, each from a small scaly sheath.
Capsule greatly curved, orange. Lid hemispherical, or shortly
conical, with a little sharp point.