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Herbarium — Part 22

Name.-- The specific name rivulare refers to the habit of growing in wet places

Plants (gametophyte).-- Woody, prostrate, naked, or with rooting filaments, secondary stems ascending from old stems, arched 1/2 to 3 inches long, nearly free from branches below, irregularly branching above.

Leaves.-- Branch leaves erect spreading, oval to oval lance-shape, concave or somewhat grooved; apex acute to short taper-pointed; margin with small sharp-pointed teeth above; base growing somewhat down the stem; vein extending 2/3 of the length of the leaf; cells, median, linear; basal, broader; alar, enlarged.

Habit of flowering.-- Male and female flowers on different plants (dioicous).

Veil (calyptra).--Split up one side.

Spore-case.-- Large, oblong or egg-shaped, horizontal or inclined.

Pedicel (seta).-- Thick and rough, red-brown, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long.

Lid (operculum).-- Conical, with an abrupt slender point.

Teeth (peristome).-- As in the genus.

Annulus.--Large.

Spores.-- Chestnut colour, mature in autumn.

Distribution.-- Universal in mountainous regions.

Brachythecium Starkii, (Brid.) Br. & Sc.

Habit and habitat.-- In dark-green, loose mats on fallen logs and old tree-trunks in moist mountain regions.

Name.-- The specific name was given in honour of Robert M. Starke.

Plant (gametophyte).-- Prostrate, branching, the branches ascending, arched, 1/4 to 1 inch long.

Leaves.-- Branch-leaves distant, spreading, oval, lance-shaped, narrowly acute or taper-pointed; apex usually half twisted; base somewhat decurrent; margin serrate; vein extending beyond the middle; cells, the middle linear, the basal shorter and broader; the alar few, rhomboidal to quadrate; stem-leaves broadly oval and long taper-pointed, less strongly serrate, cells looser.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel (perichoetial leaves).-- Longer and narrower.

Habit of flowering.-- Male and female flowers on one plant (monoicous).

Veil (calyptra).-- Split up one side.

Spore-case.-- Abruptly horizontal, short egg-shaped, dark red-brown, black when old.

Pedicel (seta).-- Rough, red-brown, 1 to 1 1/4 inches high.

Lid (operculum).-- Convex, conical, tipped with a short, sharp point.

Annulus.-- Large, of about two rows of cells.

Teeth (peristome).-- As in the genus.

Spores.--Chestnut, maturing in autumn and winter.

Distribution.-- In the northern United States and Canada, across the continent, south to New Jersey; Europe.

Brachythecium Novae-Angliae, (Sull. & Lesq.) Jaeger & Sauer.-- See Plate XXV.

Habit and habitat.-- On earth and stones.

Name.-- The specific name is the Latin for "New England."

Plant (gametophyte).-- Forming loosely entangled mats; stem 1 1/2 to 2 inches long, irregular; branches cylindrical, with rather short, overlapping, slightly spreading leaves.

Leaves.-- Erect, spreading, sometimes very concave, not plaited, not glossy, incurved, broadly ovate, narrowly taper-pointed; base growing down the stem; decurrent; vein reaching the middle: margin finely saw-toothed all around; cells narrowly oblong-hexagonal, shorter and broader at the basilar angles.

Leaves at the base of the pedicel.-- Ovate, long, taper-pointed, recurved from the middle; vein not easily distinguishable.

Habit of flowering.-- Male and female flowers on separate plants.

Perichoetial leaves (dioicous).

Veil (calyptra).-- Thin, split up one side.

Spore-case.-- Oblong, erect, slightly curved.

Pedicel (seta).-- Rough, purple.

Lid (operculum).-- Long, conical, taper-pointed.

Annulus.-- Double, large.

Teeth (peristome).-- Teeth densely articulate, segments of the inner membrane as long as the teeth. Cilia well developed but without transverse spurs attached at intervals to the margin.

Spores.-- Mature in late fall and early spring.

Distribution.-- Northeastern United States and Canada.