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P O L Y T R I C H U M Dicksoni.
Dwarf Short-stalked Hair-moss,
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci,
G en. Char. Caps, swelling. Outer fr in g e of 32 or 64
short, flat, incurved teeth: inner a circular, transverse
membrane, attached to the points of the former.
Veil generally double; the outermost hairy.
Spec. Char. Leaves linear-lanceolate, obtuse, rigid,
serrated. Capsule cylindrical, erect. Lid conical,
taper-pointed. Stem mostly simple.
Syn. Poly trichum Dicksoni. Turn. Muse. Hib. 90. t. 10.
/ . 2 .
F o r specimens of this moss, gathered on sandy banks near
Yarmouth in April 1 8 05, we are obliged to Mr. Turner, who
also received it from Ireland, as mentioned in his work on
Irish Mosses, and who has named it after its original observer
Mr. Dickson.
It is nearly allied to several small species of its genus,
which we have not yet had an opportunity of figuring. We
shall therefore describe it without referring to those species.
Root of many dense woolly fibres, probably perennial.
Stems half an inch high, erect, simple or slightly branched,
leafy. Leaves crowded, rigid, dark green with a tinge of
purple, smooth, rather spreading when wet, a little incurved
when dry; they are nearly linear, obtuse, keeled, their
margin and keel serrated. Fruitstalks red, not much exceeding
the leaves in length. Capsule quite erect, of a short cylindrical
form, rounded at the base, smooth, purplish or glaucous.
Fringe red, of about 32 teeth. Lid when young and
moist conical, with a taper point; when dried the base becomes
contracted and depressed. Outer veil composed of
dense brown hairs.