HYPNUM complanatum.
Flat Feathej'-moss.
CRYPTOGAMIA Musci.
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 pinnated. Leaves in two ranks,
obtuse with a little point, compressed, without a
nerve. Lid beaked, oblique. Sheath elongated.
Syn. Hypnum complanatum. Linn. Sp. PI. 1588. Sm.
FI. Brit. 1286. Huds. 495. With. 844. Hull. 268.
Relh. 431. Abbot. 244. Lightf. 742. Turn.
Muse. Hib. 144,
H. pennatum compressum et splendens, capsulis ovatis.
Dill. Muse. 268. t. 3 4 ./. 7.
H. repens filicifolium ramosum, ramulis appressis et
magis complanatis. Rail Syn. 87.
Leskea complanata. Hedw. Sp. Muse. 231. Sibth. 302.
A b u n d a n t in woods about the roots and stems of trees.
In the former situation it often forms dense tufts; in the
latter it is pressed close to the bark. In either case the whole
plant is singularly flat, as if it had been placed between the
leaves of a book. The fructification is produced in March qr
April, but by no means generally,
Each plant is about 4, 5, or more inches in length, doubly
pinnated, the branches two-ranked as well as the leaves, which
are closely imbricated, compressed, ovate-oblong, obtuse,
entire, without vein or nerve, of a pale shining green, membranous,
tipped with a small point. The young points of the
branches are often long and taper, bearing a few, more distant,
leaves. Sheaths about a third of the length of the fruit-stalks,
which are slender, red upwards. Capsule erect, elliptical,
short. Lid obliquely beaked.