A Synopsis of the British Mosses / Containing Descriptions of All the Genera and Species, (With Localities of the Rarer Ones) Found in Great Britain and Ireland, Based Upon Wilson's "Bryologia Britannica," Schimper's "Synopsis," Etc.

by Charles C. P. Hobkirk

1. ANDREÆA. Ehr.

a. L. nerveless.

1. A. petrophila. Ehr. (A. rupestris Hedw.) St. ¼ inch loosely tufted, with fastigiate branches; l. erect imbricate, with a sheathing base, generally secund, ovate or ovate-subulate, tapering above, and rather obtuse; papillose, areolæ dotted; per. l. larger; all reddish brown.

Sub-alpine rocks, frequent. V. VI.

2. A. alpestris. Schimp. St. taller, densely tufted, with slender branches; l. crowded, very small, patent on all sides when moist, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, areolæ quadrate at margin; per. l. shorter and more obtuse.

Damp alpine rocks. Glen Callater; Perthshire.

3. A. obovata. Thed. “Densely tufted, blackish brown, tall and robust; l. somewhat like those of alpina, from an imbricate base ovate-panduriform, gradually lanceolate, nearly smooth, glossy, quite entire at margin, areolæ much laxer.” Dr. Braithwaite, Jour, of Bot., VIII. p. 95.

Glen Callater.

4. A. alpina. Turner. St. tall 1–3in. densely tufted, with long fastigiate branches; l. imbricate, spreading, reddish or purplish brown, obovate, almost panduriform concave; per. l. larger elliptic sheathing, acute, areolæ dot-like.

Alpine rocks. V. VI.

b. L. nerved.

5. A. rupestris. Turn. (A. Rothii W. & M.) St. scarcely ½ inch, loosely tufted; l. imbricate, falcato-secund, longly subulate from an ovate base, thickly nerved to apex, rigid almost black; per. l. larger convolute.

Alpine and sub-alpine rocks. V. VI.

6. A. Grimsulana. Bruch. Much more robust than the last, rufous black; l. lanceolate acute broader, more solid, falcato-secund; per. l. broadly ovate not acuminate.

Brandsley Falls, Yorkshire, J. G. Baker 1858. Herb. Kew.—Ingleborough.

7. A. crassinervia. Bruch. Tufts depressed deep black, st. prostrate ascending, fragile; l. shining falcato-secund, subulate from an oblong base; nerve thick excurrent into the round papillose subula, margin entire, cells quadrate; per. l. erecto-patent convolute nerveless.

Alpine rocks; Hebden Bridge 1865; Scotland; Snowdon 1853.

8. A. falcata. Schimp. Smaller than last, very fragile black; l. falcato-secund, opaque, from a dilated obovate base abruptly lanceolate-subulate, nerve flattened, ending at or below the apex, which is erose at margin.

Snowdon 1865 and Cader Idris (Schimper); Perthshire (McKinlay).

9. A. nivalis. Hooker. St. longer tufted slender, l. reddish brown, falcato-secund, lanceolate-subulate, acute, gradually tapering and nerved to apex.

Alpine rocks at limit of perpetual snow; Ben Nevis, &c. Summer.