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BRYUM argenteum.
Silvery Thread-moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
G en. C h a r . Outer fringe of 16 teeth, broad at the
base: inner a toothed membane. Flowers terminal.
Capsule ovate-oblong, smooth. Veil smooth.
Spec. C h a r . Stems tufted, branched from the base.
Leaves ovate, concave, imbricated, with pellucid colourless
bristly points. Capsule ovate, pendulous.
Syn. Bryuin argenteum. Linn. Sp. PL 1586. Sm.
FI. Brit. 1855. Hedw. Sp. Muse. 181. Huds. 489.
With. 838. Hull. 256. Relh. 427. Sibth. 293.
Abbot. 243. Dicks. H. Sicc.fasc. 15. 19. , Curt.
Load. fasc. 3. t . 67. f . 2. Turn. Muse. Hib. 122.
B. pendulum julaceum, argenteum et sericeum. Dill,
Muse. 392. t . 5 0 . f . 62.
B. capitulis subrotundis reflexis, cauliculis teretibus
„ argenteis. Rail Syn. 100.
C o m m o n in the spring on dry open spots, especially on
the tops of walls and stone roofs, where its beautiful silvery
hue in moist weather renders it impossible to be overlooked or
mistaken.
The stems form perennial, round, cushion-like tufts, and
when separated are found to be much branched, about half an
inch high, with cylindrical blunt branches, tapering at the
base. Leaves closely imbricated on all sides, of a broad ovate
figure, swelling, entire, single-ribbed, tippe’d with a hair,
more or less of their upper part pellucid and colourless, which
gives the silvery appearance above mentioned. The fruitstalks
come forth in the early spring, from the tops of old branches,
just where the new ones originate, and are not an inch long,
red below, pale and curved at the summit. Capsule of a
short ovate form, brown or reddish. Lid convex with a point.
Veil small, soon falling off. Fringe yellow.