9 S [ 1 2 3 9 |
MNIUM conoideum.
Club-fruited Spring-moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
G en. Char. Caps, cylindrical, at length furrowed.
Outer fr in g e of 16 tapering te e th ; inner a laci-
niaied membrane. Veil smooth. Flowers terminal.
Spec. Char. Monoecious ? Capsule straight, obovate.
Lid awl-shaped. Leaves imbricated every way,
spreading, entire.
Syn. Bryum conoideum. Dicks. Crypt, fu s e . 4. 9.
t . l l . f 2.
T h i s moss unquestionably belongs to the same genus with
the preceding, with which it agrees closely in habit, especially
in the peculiar round dots of its leaves, as well as in the
essential generic character of the furrowed capsule. Mr. Dickson
found it on the trunks of Beeches near Inverary. Our
specimens were gathered by Mr. Templeton, on Pear-trees in
his orchard near Belfast; and it is to this gentleman, through
Mr. Turner, we are entirely indebted for a knowledge of the
inner fringe, which he describes and delineates in fine capillary
segments, just as analogy would lead us to expect it. Of
the male flowers we have no knowledge, and therefore eannot
positively pronounce the plant monoecious or dioecious.
Every part is much smaller than in M. androgynum. The
stems form perennial tufts, and are mostly simple, erect,
leafy. Leaves of a dull pellucid green, imbricated, spreading
every way, oblong, entire, with one rib and an obscure point.
Stalk terminal, short, yellowish. Capsule nearly erect, obovate,
obtuse, pale brown. Lid awl-shaped, acute, often
curved, about as long as the capsule. Outer fringe of 16
shortish teeth; inner as above described.
T h e th ird B ritish species o f Mnium is figured in o u r v. 6.
t. 3 9 1 , b y th e n am e o f Bryum palustre.