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H Y P N U M fluitans.
Floating Feather-moss .
CRYPTOGAMIA Musn.
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 somewhat pinnate. Leaves lanceolate,
pointed, loosely spreading, single-ribbed. Lid
convex, with a small point.
Syn. Hypnum fluitans. Linn. FI. Suec. ed. 2. 399.
Sm. FI. Brit. 1319. Hedw. Sp. Muse. 296.
Crypt, v. 4. 94. t. 36. JVith. 851. Hull. 270.
Relh. 432. Sibth. 298. Abbot. 245. Dicks. H.
Sicc.fasc. 16. 22. Turn. Muse. Hib. 182.
H. erectum aut fluitans, foliis oblongis perangustis
acutis. Dill. Muse. 299. t. 38. f . 33. Rail Syn. 82.
T h i s we also received from Mr. Winch of Newcastle in.
fructification, in which state it is extremely rare. The plant
itself is not very unfrequently to be met with in clear still
waters, in which it floats to a considerable extent, the stems
being loosely pinnate, slender, very various in length. The
leaves are of a pale or brownish green, loosely spreading, lanceolate,
pointed, entire, very narrow, furnished with a central
rib; the uppermost more or less curved and united into a
hook, so that it very nearly approaches H. aduncum, and this
is the case with the original Linnæan specimen. The fruit-
stalks are long in proportion to the branches, capillary, reddish,
from pointed sheaths. Capsule curved, ovate-oblong, short.
Lid of a short conical pointed form. Fringe rather short.