45. POLYTRICHUM. Brid.
A. Caps. six-angled; apophysis indistinct.
279. P. sexangulare. Hoppe. Barren st. 2–6in., fertile shorter; l. short incurved rigid, linear-lanceolate from a broader base, margins plane, incurved, almost cucullate at serrulate apex; caps. short, at first upright, afterwards cernuous, sometimes six, sometimes only four or five-angled; lid rostrate; calyp. short, and shortly villous.
Summits of Scotch mountains. VIII. IX.
Ben Lawers; Cairngorm, &c.
280. P. gracile. Menzies. St. about ½in. densely tufted; l. lanceolate from a broad sheathing base, serrate, with prominent lamellæ on upper surface; caps. ovate, obscurely four, five, six-angled; lid conico-rostrate; calyp. small.
Turbaries, &c., frequent. VI.
281. P. formosum. Hedw. St. 3–6in. loosely tufted; l. spreading linear-lanceolate from a broad sheathing base, acute, serrate, lamellate; caps. four, five, six-angled, fawn-coloured; lid long conical; calyp. large.
Woods. VI.
var. β. pallidisetum. st. and l. shorter; caps. narrower, on a short pale seta.
B. Caps. four-angled; apoph. very distinct.
282. P. commune. L. St. 6 or 8in. simple; l. spreading reflexed, linear-lanceolate, sheathing, whitish and membranous at base, serrate on margin and back; nerve broad; per. l. with long wavy hair points; caps. short, upright, afterwards cernuous, on a very long seta; lid variable in size; calyp. large reddish.
Tufty and marshy places. VI.
var. β. perigoniale. smaller; outer per. l. longer; dry heaths.
283. P. juniperum. Hedw. St. 1–6in.; l. reflexed, spreading, linear-lanceolate, almost bristle-pointed, margin entire, except a few teeth at apex, much inflexed from middle upwards, somewhat spinulose at back; caps. roughish, horizontal when dry, on a seta 2in. or more long; calyp. large.
Heaths. V. VI.
284. P. strictum. Menzies. (P. juniperum. β. strictum, Bry. Brit.) “St. more slender, densely matted, branched, closely interwoven with whitish tomentum; l. straight, erecto-patent, imbricate when dry, shorter and narrower, pale glaucous green; caps. shorter cuboid, acutely angled, rufous orange; calyp. brownish or white.” [Dr. Braithwaite, Jour. of Bot., VIII., 225.]
Mountain moors, common.
285. P. piliferum. Schreb. St. about 1in. simple; l. lower short appressed, upper much longer, lanceolate, prolonged into roughish hair points, margins entire inflexed; caps. faintly angular, almost ovate, on a short seta; calyp. long, reddish.
Dry heaths. V. VI.