478 MR. II, N. DIXON : THE MOSSES OF THE 



The working out oF new genera and species — filling up, as tliej do, gaps 

 in tlio vegetable taxonomy — may be compared with the putting together of a 

 complex puzzle consl^sting of innumerable pieces. The description of 

 numerous now species of tlie larger genera is like the filling up of the final 

 gapSj once the general sehonie of the puzzle is known ; it is not exciting, 

 thou^^h it briuixs some satisfaction in the roundijio- off and completion of the 

 whole scheme. But it is the discovery of the monotypic or endemic forms, 

 lucking apparent relationship with others, or revealing new and unexpeoled 

 affinities, which answer to the key-pieces of the puzzle, by wliich the general 

 sclicme is for the first time revealed, or two isolated parts are unexpectedly 

 brouo-ht into relationship with one another. 



Such disconnected, endemic, or restricted types occur frequently in insular 

 floras, but such floras are as a rule very limited^ and the endemic types will 

 often lie under the suspicion of being comparatively newly differentiated 

 forms. The floras of the highest interest therefore naturally occur in those 

 larger isbinds which by their isolation partake of an insular character, while 

 of sufficiently large and varied extent to afford a rich flora ; the three islands 

 of Madagascar, New Zealand, and New Guinea fulfilling these conditions to 

 an extent uneq^ualled and scarcely ai)proached by any other geographical 

 regions of the world ; tlieir moss-floras, like the other branches of their 

 fauna and flora, being correspondingly intere:<ting and distinct. OE the three, 

 that of New Guinea manifests perhaps the highest interest. One has only to 

 mention, by way of illustration, such genera as Braunfelsia [5] *, ScJusto^ 

 mltrium [6], Spiridens [G], Mastopoma [3], Pelekium [3], Racelopus [1], 



[7], Wer- 



B 



the extent to which this '^discontinuous'^ type of moss-flora prevails in tliat 

 island, while in addition certain genera of rather larger size^but of strikingly 



1 



n 



E 



r> 



described in this paper^ which will be discussed more fully in their place. 



The types of the new forms described here are at the British Museum 

 unless otherwise noted. Duplicate types are in my herbarium. 



Mosses of the Wollaston Expedition, collected by C. B. Kloss, 



ON Mt* Cakstensz, Dutch New Guinea, 1912-13, 



The itinerary and topographical notes have been given fully in the Report 

 cited above (Trans. Bot, vol. ix. pt. 1), from which particulars of the various 

 cam})S may be obtained. The figures in parentheses are niy own numbering, 

 nuide for purposes of reference. 



* The figures in brackets give the total number of species known in each genus. 



