Dicranum fragile Hook., Musci Exot. 2: 134. 1819, nom. illeg.

Plants rather small, 1–2(–3) cm high, yellowish green or brownish green, in dense tufts. Stems erect, often branched, sometimes simple, radiculose below; central strand present. Leaves erect-patent, falcate to almost straight, plicate when dry, lanceolate, ca. 5 mm long, gradually narrowed from a broad base to a narrow, long-acuminate, setaceous apex, often rigid, brittle, tips mostly broken in mature leaves; margins plane, serrulate from the middle, bordered by 1–2(–3) rows of hyaline, linear cells in the lower half; costa sometimes poorly defined at base, brownish, more distinct upwards, percurrent, dentate at back above, showing isolated groups of stereids intermixed with many large guide cells in transverse section; cells quadrate to short-rectangular above, not particularly thick-walled, elongate near leaf base, pitted and linear toward the margins; alar cells inflated, thin-walled, sometimes forming distinct auricles. Dioicous. Perichaetial leaves with clasping, almost cylindric base, abruptly narrowed above. Setae usually solitary, rarely 2 per perichaetium, yellowish green, not exceeding 1.5 cm long; capsules erect, sometimes slightly inclined, cylindric, urns 2–3 mm long, reddish brown, furrowed when dry; peristome teeth reddish brown, vertically striate below, papillose above. Spores light brown, elliptical, 15–17 µm in diameter.

Type. Nepal: Wallich s.n.

Chinese specimens examined: ANHUI: Dabie Shan (Mt.), K.-H. Cai 1789 (HSNU, IFSBH). FUJIAN: Wuyi Shan (Mt.), P.-J. Lin 476 (IBSC, IFSBH). GUANGDONG: Ru-yuan Co., P.-J. Lin 256 (IBSC, IFSBH). GUANGXI: Shang-si Co., C. Gao & G.-C. Zhang 1760 (IFSBH); Xing-an Co., C. Gao & G.-C. Zhang 1557 (IFSBH). GUIZHOU: Jiang-kou Co., C. Gao & J.-Y. Feng 32393 (IFSBH); Sui-yang Co., C. Gao & J.-Y. Feng 33450 (IFSBH). HAINAN: Jianfengling (Mt.), P.-C. Chen 434(c) (IFSBH, PE). HUNAN: Yi-zhang Co., C. Gao 942, 1029 (IFSBH). SICHUAN: Omei Shan (Mt.), C. Gao et al. 19553 (IFSBH); Ya-an Co., Z.-N. Liu 17251 (IFSBH). XIZANG: Lin-zhi Co., Y.-G. Su 2512 (IFSBH, KUN); Mi-lin Co., Y.-G. Su 2836 (IFSBH, KUN). YUNNAN: Yi-liang Co., X.-J. Li 4440 (IFSBH, KUN). ZHEJIANG: Sui-chang Co., Z.-L. Liu & R.-L. Hong 1019 (HSNU, IFSBH); Xitianmu Shan (Mt.), Y.-F. Wang 214(b) (HSNU).

Habitat: on bases of trees or rotten wood, rarely on humic soil over rocks; Distribution: China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Illustrations: Pl. 39, figs. 9–16.