' m
■K
123 F LO EA ANTAECTICA. {Auckland and
5, cell of s. macrophyllmn with no spiral filament and many large pores ; 6, transverse section of the ceUs of a leaf
of s. cymhifoUum :—all higlily viagnifed.
1. SpHAGStiM conipactum, Brid., caule erecto ramoso, ramis dense confertis, foliis imbricatis concavis
ovato-oblongis obtusis apice denticrdatis, theca ovato-rotundata, pseudopodio brevi. S. compactum, Brid.
Bryol. Univ. vol. i. p. 16.
Var. W rigidum; foliis subrigidis convolutis superne attenuatis apice patulis, pseudopodio gracili sub-
elongato. Nees et EoruscL Bryol, Germ. vol. i. p. 14. t. 2. f. 5*.
Var. y, oratuiu ; foliis patentibus ovatis subacutis.
H ab. Campbell’s Island; in bogs near the sea, hoth the varieties growing together.
The variety y. ovatum may possibly be a distinct species, though we h.ave not ventm-ed to separate it spcci-
ficaUy ; it differs from the nslal state of the plant in the ovate, not oblong, leaves, wliicb are more acute at the
apex. 1-ith somewhat cartilaginous margins. Dr. Lyall’s specimens, though fragments, evidently belong to a much
larger moss than S. cymhifoUum, DiU., with more tumid brandies. Of this species Bridel remarks, “ a S. cy,M-
foUo, folds semper apice denticidatis, i.e. præmorsis, ut et toto habitu distiiictissimum.” Tlie oblong leaves of var. fi
and the absence of the spiral fibres in the outer cells of the ramuli also appear constant peculiarities.
In this, as in some other species, it is not nncommon to observe the sphal fibres of the lower ceUs of the leaf
disposed in a double or triple helix. The interposed chcidar discs are readily seen to be pores, from their strong
simüarity to the distinct apertures found on the cells of the ramiilus. The outer ceUs of the branches seem analogous
to the ordinary cellular tissue of the leaves, and the inner to theii- intercellular tubes ; whence the tnie position
of the latter on the upper surface of the leaf may be inferred : wliUst, on tbe otber band, the concavity of the fohage
would lead to tbe supposition of their occupjoiig the opposite one.
3. LEPTOSTOMUM; Br.
Peristomium simples e thecæ membrana interiore ortum, annulare, suberectum, indivisnm v. rarius subdenticula-
tum. Calyptra glabra, dimidiata. Theca æqualis v. rarius gibbosa, oblonga, in apophysin spuriam obconicam attenuata.
1. Leptostomcm gracile, Br. ; caule cæspitoso subramoso, foliis oblongis subacutis püiferis inferioribus
ovato-lanceolatis, theca pendula oblougo-cylindiacea, operculo liemispherico. L. gracile. Brown in Trans.
Linn. Soc. vol. x. p. 321. Sclmaeg. Suppl. vol. ii. pt. 1. p. 1 2 .1 .104. Gjunnostomum gracile, Uooh. Muse.
E.vot. t. 22.
H ab . Campbell’s Island; on exposed rocks, altitude 1200 feet, barren.
I t is not yet proved whether the L. gracile and L. inclinam be reaUy distinct. Our specimens agi-ee m th tlie
former, in haAing a strong escurrent nerve ; they differ from it in the stems being densely matted irith radicles, and
‘ from L. inclinam in the leaves not being contorted when dry and their margins not revolute. There is a new and
very well marked species in the Hookerian Herbarium, L. Pridgesii, AVils., MS., from Conception and Colchagna in
Chih, in which the leaves are piliferous, with the nerve evanescent heloiv the apex, the seta short, and the theca,
instead of being pjTÎform, is widest at the base.
4. SPLACHNUM, L'.
Peristomium simples. Denies sedecira, per paria coadunati v. approximati, longitudinabter exarati, tandem
reflexi et plerumque thecæ extus appressi. Calyptra campanulata, basi subintegra v. fissa, theca brevior. Theca
æqualis, apophysata, exannulata.
It is with much reluctance that we refuse to adopt the views of Bruch and Schimper, who, in their beautiful
‘ Bryologia Europæa,’ subdivide Splachnum into three or fom- genera. The several characters which the two species
here enumerated possess and which are not conformable with those of any of the subgencra aUuded to, would, ivere
these adopted, obbge us to construct a fifth for their reception. S. octohlepharum and S.purpurascens are so nearly
aUied to the >S'. mnioides, that we doubt the propriety of even retaining two genera which might be fomided on the
very dissimilar structm*e of the calyptra, but on that character alone, unaccompanied ivith any difference of habit.
In one of Bruch aud Schimper’s divisions, Tetraptodon, the calyptra is tnily dimidiate and neither infiexed nor ap-
pendiculate at the base ; in the other, we always find it, previous to its separation from the vaginula, inflexed at the
base, but ivhen the seta elongates and carries up the calyptra, this inflexed portion is di-awn out and remains as a lacerated
and somewhat incurved membrane or appendage. A similar structure is observable in Schlothemia, under
which genus the development of S. quadiifida is illustrated.
In aU the species wliich ive have had an opportunity of examining in a recent state, and especiaUy in S. sphe-
ricum, ampullaceum and mnioides, there is a very peculiar arrangement of the sporules, in Unes radiating from the
columeUa. Each of these lines is composed of eight or more spoinles, contained either in separate ceUs or in membranous
tubes, of a nature eridently analogous to the asci of some Fungi. Tliis structure is probably common to
all the species and may be traced obscurely in the dried state of some ; it has, however, escaped the observation of
Bruch and Scliimper, ivho perhaps did not examine specimens in a sufficiently young state.
The southern species, those at least from the Mgher latitudes, inhabit decayed vegetable matter.
1. S pla c h n um Hook. fil. efWils. ; canle elongato, foliis patulis obovatis acmuinatis integerrimis
undulatis evaiádinerriis apicibus recurvis, theca eUiptico-oblonga microstoma, apopliysi obconica
augusta, operculo conico. (T a b . LYII. Fig. Y. I.)
Var. /3, minor. (T_ab. LYII. Fig. Y. 8.)
H a b . CampbeU’s Island; in moist bogs, amongst grass; altitude 1000 feet.
Caules laxe cæspitosi, rix ramosi, semiunciales et ultra. Folia patula, snbremota, planiuscula v. undulata, siccitate
crispa, laxe reticulata, inferiora liu-ide purpm-ascentia. Inforescentia monoica ; flores masculi geinmaceo-
capituliformes ad báseos foliorum sessiles v. in ramulis propriis terminales. Seta uncialis, valida, i-ubra, nitida, sensim
in apophysin theca brcriorcm incrassata. Peristomii denies octo, conniventes, luteoli, integri v. medio rima longi-
tudinaU ad apicem non producta fissi, siccitate fusci et reflexi. Columella apice dilatata, plerumque breriter exserta.
Operculum parviun, anguste conicum, subrosteUatum, rai-ius hemisphericum, flaveseens v. rufo-brunneum. Calyptra
non visa.
Nearly aUicd to S. octohlepharum, but larger, the leaves wider, more distant, less produced at the apex and
more crisped ivhcn di-y. Capsule narrow and more attenuated below, irith a sniaUer mouth. In the var. both
the two lateral of the longitudinal and the transverse lines on the teeth ai-e vei-y faint ; iu no instance do the teeth
in this species appear to he reaUy formed of four, the lateral Hues ahvays ceasing below the apex ; the lower part of
each double tooth is formed by fom- ceUs in a Hue, but theii- summits of only two.
P late LAUI. F ig .Y .—I, S. purpurascens, oi ihe natural size ; 2, a leaf; 3 and 4, capsules ; 5, teeth closelv
approximated iu pahs ; 6, the same, of var. ^ ; 7, the same of var. a, Avith a longitudinal fissm-e and some spo-
rulcs :—magnified. 8, a smaU tuft of var. jS, of the natural size.
2. S pla ch n um octohlepharum, Hook. ; subramosiun, foliis obovatis longe acuminatis subpiliferis integerrimis,
tlicca una cum apophj'si clavata, peristomii dentibus octo soHtariis. S. octoblepliarum, Hook. Muse.
Exot. t. 167. Scliwaeg. Suppl. II. pt. 1. p. 105. 1 .129. (omitted in Bridel. Bryol. JJnivl)
Var. /3, py r forme-, foliis magis erectis confertis, apopliysi angustiore. (Tab. LA^II. IHg. IAÁ 1.)