IIYPNUM denticulatum,
Sharp Fern-like Feather-moss.
CR YPTOGAM1A Musd,
Gen. 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. Leaves two-ranked, ovato-lanceolate,
acute, entire, without a nerve. Capsule cylindrical,
drooping. Lid conical.
Syn. Hypnum denticulatum. Linn. Sp. PI. 1588.
Hedw. Sp. Muse, 237- Crypt, v. 4. 81. t. 31,
Huds. 494. With. 843. Hull. 267.
H. denticulatim pennatum, pinnulis duplicatis recurvis.
Dill. Muse. 266. t. 34. f . 5.
H. repens filicifolium non ramosum, pediculis et capi-
tulis longioribus ad radicem egredientibus, foliolis
utrinque duplicatis. Rail Syn. 88.
FO U N D in shady rather moist places, bearing its fruit in
March and April.
The root is perennial. The stems form tufts, and are either
upright or spreading, at first simple, bearing the fruit-stalk at
their base j but by age (as it seems) they grow more or less
branched, and decumbent, with the fructification situated
about the middle of the stem, or at the base of each branch.
In this state it becomes the H. sylvaticum of authors, Dill,
t. 34. J . 6, a plant about which there has been much uncertainty
j but we assent to the opinion of Uedwig, confirmed by
Mr. Turner, that it is not distinct from H. denticulatum.
The leaves are pale-green, a little shining, reticulated, imbricated
principally in two rows, so as to render the branch
flat j they are ovate-lanceolate, acute, entire, without a nerve,
compressed at the base. Fruit-stalk red and shining. Capsule
a little drooping, cylindrical, smooth, pale brown. Fringe
yellow. Lid conical, more or less pointed.