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

5. GYMNOSTOMUM. Hedw.

Sect. I. Infl. dioicous, margin of l. reflexed or plane, not incurved.

a. St. short, per. l. sheathing; caps. elliptic-oblong, narrow at mouth, lid conical, annulus large persistent.

42. G. tenue. Schrad. St. tufted; l. lingulate, sub-erect, upper ones longest entire, nerved nearly to apex; caps. pale brown, lid obtuse.

Sandstone rocks and walls. VII. VIII.

b. St. taller, branched; per. l. slightly sheathing, caps. oval or ovoid, truncate; lid with a long beak, annulus narrow, persistent.

43. G. rupestre. Schw. St. ½in. densely tufted, slender, dichotomous; l. linear-lanceolate, spreading obtuse keeled, nerved nearly to apex; capsule erect oval, lid flattish, suddenly rising to a longish scarcely bent beak.

Wet alpine rocks. Autumn.

var. β. ramosissimum. densely tufted, leaves shorter, capsule smaller on a shorter pedicel. γ. stelligerum. loosely tufted, l. fasciculate and stellato-patent at the ends of the branches, linear-lanceolate acute. δ. compactum. leaves fascicled, longer and more obtuse.

44. G. curvirostrum. Hedw. St. ½–1in. cæspitose branches fastigiate; l. linear-lanceolate, spreading keeled, margins recurved, nerved nearly to apex; caps. broadly ovoid, lid adhering to columella, conical battened, with a long suddenly bent beak.

Moist sub-alpine rocks. Autumn.

var. β. pomiforme. leaves narrow, caps. more spherical. γ. microcarpon. l. broader, erecto-patent, caps. smaller, roundish obovate. δ. pallidisetum. st. long slender, l. fascicled, caps. small obovate, with a shorter pedicel and beak.

Sect. II. Infl. monoicous; margins of l. incurved or plane, not reflexed.

a. Caps. contracted at mouth; sporangium adherent to columella forming a closed sac.

45. G. squarrosum. Wils. St. ¼in. loosely tufted, l. linear-lanceolate, squarrose, distant, blunt, nerve running out into a mucro; caps. elliptical, sometimes oblique and unequal; lid with a blunt beak.

Clay fields and banks. Autumn, Spring.

46. G. microstomum. Hedw. St. ⅛ to ¼in. densely tufted; l. linear-lanceolate, acute, upper ones longest, nerve excurrent; capsule elliptical, sometimes oblique and gibbous, olive-brown, much contracted, lid with a longish curved beak.

Fields, &c. Spring.

var. β. obliquum. caps. oblong, oblique, lid sub-rostrate. γ. brevirostre. caps. oblong symmetrical, lid short conical. δ. brachycarpum. caps. roundish, gibbous. ε. elatum. innovations overtopping fruit, caps. roundish small, lid sub-rostrate.

b. Caps. scarcely contracted; sporangium not adherent.

47. G. tortile. Schw. St. ⅛–¼in. densely tufted with fastigiate branches; l. oblong-lanceolate, spreading or sub-erect curved, obtuse, pointed with the excurrent nerve; caps. elliptical, with a purple mouth and an inclined beaked lid.

Limestone rocks. Spring.

var. β. subcylindricum. l. linear-lanceolate, caps. oblong.