lity, and indeed throughout the three islands of New Zealand, they abound. Wherever they grow they invariably affect shade and shelter. The European genus Orthotrichim, on the other hand, of which there are several Tasmanian examples, is very rare in New Zealand ; and in Lord Auckland's group and Campbell's Island, as in the Falkland and other Antarctic Islands, the species court exposure, growing on black and exposed rocks, enduring the fidl power of such solar heat as those regions afford during the day, and of the frost, wind, and nocturnal radiation at other times. Under these circumstances, their foliage is of a peculiarly hard and almost horny consistence, especially when dry.
Plate LVIII. Fig. I. — 1 and 2, tufts of the natural size; 3, cauline leaf; 4, upper leaf from near the perichaetium; 5, theca; 6, peristome; 7, a tooth; 8, calyptra; 9, calyptra, in a very young state, adherent with the vaginula, split open, exposing the enclosed seta, which is erroneously represented as bulbous; 10, the same, entire, surrounded by pistilla ; 11 and 12, calyptra, showing the base inflexed and attached to the summit of the vaginula : — magnified.
10. VvEISSIA, Eedw.
Peristomium simplex, dentibus sedeeim, suberectis, angustis, imperforatis. Calyptra cuculliformis. Tlieca sequalis, exapophysata, annulata v. exaimulata.
1. Weissla crispula, Ludw. ; caule erecto diviso, foliis imbricatis seeundis lanceolatis acuminatis canaliculatis siccitate crispulis, tlieca erecta oblonga, operculo oblique rostrato. W. crispula, Hedw. Sj). Muse. p. 68. t. 12. Brid. Bryol. Univ. vol. i. p. 346. Var. ft, ambigua ; foliis brevioribus subsecundis siccitate vix crispatis, perichsetialibus acuminatis nervo excurrente, seta breviore, dentibus interdum per paria approximatis. (Tab. LVIII. Fig. II.)
Hab. Campbell's Island; on exposed rocks from 600-1200 feet above the level of the sea, abundant.
After a very careful comparison of the Campbell's Island plant with specimens of W. crispula froin Snowdon, we are at length satisfied of the specific identity of the two. It is still uncertain whether the W. crispula of Hooker and Taylor be the same as that of Hedwig. The characters of the latter and of W. cirrata, as given by Schwaegrichen (Siipp.voLi.pt. 1. p. 75.), differ very slightly. Of W. cirrata bothlledwig and Bridel remark," folia marginibus reflexis aut innexis," the former we find constantly to be the case, in which respect the plant differs essentially from crispula. It is more than probable that the Moss from Snowdon, figured by Dillenius (Hist. Muse. t. 47. f. 38.), and quoted by Bridel as a synonym of his Dicranurn interruptiuu, is the W. crispula of Hooker and Taylor, which may well be considered by Bridel, a Bicrauum, having the habit of that genus, and the peristome being unknown to him.
Plate LVIII. Tig. II. — 1, tuft of the natural sbe; 2, a branch and theca ; 3. a leaf; 4, a theca; 5, teeth ; 6, calyptra : — magnified.
2. Weissia contecta, Hook. fil. et VTils. ; caule fastigiatim ramoso, foliis erectis strictis lanceolatis superne setaceis integerrimis solidinerviis, setaperbrevi, tlieca ovata, operculo rostrato. (Tab. LVIII. Fig. III.) Hab. Campbell's Island; on alpine rocks.
Caules sesquiunciales, dense casspitosi, subrigidi, fragiles. Folia conferta, erecta, vix secimda, 3 lin. longa, in apicem rigidum linearem e nervo crasso excurrente formatmn producta, integerrima, canalioulata, marginibus basi inflexis, inferiora fusco-atra, superiora flavo-vhidia ; perielialialia majora, conformia. Infiorescentia monoica. Ft. masc. ad basin fceminei, gemmiformes ; anlhcridia paraphysibus phmniis immixta. Seta vix lineam longa, crassiuscula, innovationibus mox lateralis. Theca badia, ore patente. Annulus o. Denies pyramidati, ineurvi, transverse sidcati, ferrugineo-lutei, integri v. apice fissi, siccitate reflexi. Sporce minutse. Operculum basi hemisphericum, rostro obliquo, capsida parum breviore. Calgptra coriacea, subulata, parva, fusca.
