REPORT ON TIIE BOTANY OF THE ATLANTIC ISLANDS. 91 



Besides Hyophila javanica, it includes Hyophila spathulata, Hyophila cylindrical, and 

 Hyophila tortula ; and, if the nearest allied mosses be sought for, they must be found 

 in such Tortula? as the Barbula javanica, Dozy et Molk., Muse. Archip. Ind., t. xviii., 

 which, if it had no peristome, would have exactly agreed with the species named, so 

 that Hyophila as a genus is, in fact, but an incomplete Tortula; yet it may serve 

 perhaps as a name for a number of species which do not exactly correspond to any 

 described section of that numerous family. 



From the HyophilaB above mentioned, Hyophila barbula = Tortula melanocarpa, differs 

 in the areolatiou of its leaves and its very near affinity to Trichostomum brevicaule, Hampe, 

 found on the cement of buildings in Java, and also to Schimper's Gyroweisia tenuis, 

 formerly Gymnostomum tenue, and his Gyroweisia reflexa, the Weisia reflexa, Brid., 

 t. 355, placed in the second edition of his Synopsis immediately before his genus Gymno- 

 stomum. All these species present but little difference from Hymenostylium as outlined 

 here, and are mosses to which lime is so essential that they are only found upon it or in 

 its close proximity. 



The rearrangement of the family of Tortuloid mosses is as yet a matter of great 

 difficulty : it is easy to see that they fall into natural groups very difficult to define 

 in words, and that many of the older genera are but of negative value. Thus Pottia 

 runs into Anacalypta, and this into Desmatodon, and on to Syntrichia ; and Systcgium, 

 through Hymenostomum, is connected with Weisia, and through some Trichostoma with 

 such complete Tortula} as Tortula tortuosa. It is these considerations that have led 

 to the continuance here of the name Tortula melanocarpa instead of that of Tortula 

 barbula, for by many authors Tortula and Barbula are considered synonyms of the 

 same idea ; and much more may yet be known respecting the limits of Hymenostylium, 

 which, if capable of definition, might well include this species as Hymenostylium 

 barbula. 



Bryum dichotomum, Hedw. 



Bryum dichotomum, Hedw., Sp. Muse, p. 183, t. 42; C. Miiller, Synop. Muse. Frond., i. p. 304. 

 Bryum atropurpureum, Web. et Mohr. ; Bryol. Europ., t. 37. 



Bermudas. — With Tortida bermudana, barren. 

 This species is probably cosmopolitan. 



Rhacopilum tomentosum, Brid. 



Rhacopilum tomentosum, Brid., Muse. Univ., ii. p. 719. 

 Hypnum tomentosum, Hedw., Muse. Frond., iv. p. 48, t. 19. 

 Hypopterygium tomentosum, C. Miiller, Synop. Muse. Frond., ii. p. 12. 



Bermudas. — In small quantity, but fertile. 



Common probably in all the West Indian Islands, and extending to Southern Brazil. 



