JoG [ 1 0 2 1 ]
B R Y U M Z i e r i i .
Z ie r ia n B r y um .
CRYPTOGJMIA Mufcu
Gen. Char. Fringe double : outer of 16 teeth, broad
at their bafe : inner a toothed membrane. Flowers
terminal.
S p e c . C h a r . Stems branched after flowering. Leaves
ovate,, imbricated, concave, pointed. Capfules
drooping, ovate, with a tapering bafe.
S y n . ' B r y u m Zierii. Dick/. Crypt, fafe. 2. 8 . t. 4 .
ƒ. 10. H. Siec.fafc. 1 . 19. With. 839. Hull. 256.
Hedw. Sp. Mujc. 182. t. 44. f . 1—4 ,
W e are obliged to Mr. Griffith for Welch fpecimens of this
rare alpine mofs, never found by any other botanift except
Mr. Dickfon, who in its fpecific name has honoured the
memory of his friend the learned and accurate Zier.
It grows in tufts upon moift banks. The leafy items, fhort
and Ample at firft, become divided above the flowering fummit,
and are finally near an inch long. Leaves imbricated, fmall,
concave, ovate, entire, pointed, ribbed, bright-green at firft,
afterwards whitith or fleth-coloured. Stalks capillary, about
half an inch long, ereft. Capfules drooping, club-lhaped when
green, but as they ripen they afliime their true form, which is
ovate, ftanding on a tapering or club-fhaped receptacle of their
own length and brown colour. Veil reddifh, entire, {lender,
tipped with the capillary remains of the ftyle. Lid convex,
pointed. Outer fringe of 16 {harp red and yellow teeth : inner
a laciniated membrane.
It appears to us that the immortal Hedwig, whofe labour
and {kill in decyphering the characters of thefe curious vegetables
cannot be too highly praifed, has neverthelefs laid too
much ftrefs on the minute differences of ftruCture in their inner
fringe or perijlomium internum, and has thence made too many
genera out of what we confider as true Brya.