125 



Phascum tetragonum; caule elato subramoso, foliis lato-laii- 

 ceolatis integerrimis subpatentibus nervo valido attingente, 

 seta exserta, capsula elliptica (matura exacte) tctragona. 

 (Tab. XXXL) 



Hab. In terram prope Tiegerberg, ad Cap* Bonse Spei. JD. 

 Mund. 



Caules duas vel tres lineas longij cfespftosi, subnnnosij basl 

 dense radicibus tomentosi, supcrne foliosi. Folia subpa- 

 tentia, inferiora etiam recur va, lato-lanceolata, vcl ovato- 

 lanceolata, acumlnataj subopaca, integerrlma, nervo valido 

 ad apiceni attingente instructa: perichcetiaUa reliquis lon- 

 giora, angustiora. Seta terminalis, exserta. Calyptra 

 subulata, hinc lateraliter fissa. Capsula immatura sub- 

 tetragona indistincte striata, anguste elliptica, demum 

 matura, exacte tetragona, angulis acutis, basi vix apophy- 

 sata. Columella gracilis. Semina numerosissima. 



I at first took this very interesting little African moss for 

 the Phascum splacknoides of Hornschucb, [Physidium Bridel,) 

 in Horse Physicae Berolinenses, but on comparing it with 

 original specimens of the latter, I find it to be distinguished 

 by the more elongated stems, very differently shaped and 

 much longer leaves, and especially in the curious and dis- 

 tinctly quadrangular capside. It must, however, 

 to that species in any system that takes into considera- 

 tion the natural affinities, and I cannot see any sufficient 

 reason for either the one or the other constituting a genus 

 distinct from Phascum. Both, again, will come near to 

 Ph. hry aides. 



ran 



%. 1, Tuft of plant, naiurat size. Figs. 9, 3, Plants 

 magnified. Fig. 4, Leaf. Fig. 5, Section of a capsule 

 'inagnijied. 



