98 MR. W. MITTEN OK THE MOSSES OF 



Great confusion exists amongst the species of this group, whose cap- 

 sules are inclined, bi- angular, plane or concave above and convex below, 

 like those of Lyellia and Buxhaumia. The figure in " Hedwig Sp. 

 Muse.*' fairly represents this moss, so far as relates to the entire plant ; 

 in the figure in " Crypt. Antarct." the capsules are not depicted with the 

 two angles, and the outline of the leaf is not quite correct. M. C. 

 Miiller describes the capsule as " irregulariter 4-5 angulata," but Moss- 

 man's specimens are precisely like those from New Zealand and Fuegia. 

 Bridel and Miiller describe the perichaetial leaves as cordate, but these 

 appear to be not different in form from the cauline. 



P. CROCEUS {Mitten). Habitu staturaque P. Magellanici, caule sub- 

 simplici foliis siccitate erectis appressis humidis e basi erecta convoluta 

 oblongo-ovata inferne cellulis elongatis teneris pallidis superne in 

 maculam obcordatam basin fere dimidiam occupante intense croceo 

 tinctis inde subito in minutas depressas incrassatas pallide fuscas trans- 

 euntibus angustatis lanceolatis erecto-patentibus apice crassiusculo 

 acutis lamellis obtectis margine superne dorsoque apice dentatis, peri- 

 chsetialibus basi longiore tenerioreque convolutis parte angustata 

 breviore vaginula fills fuscis emergentibus pilosa, theca in pedunculo 

 elongato inclinata oblonga bi-angulata piano convexo, operculo ros- 

 trato, calyptra glabra. 



Hah. Brazil, common on clayey banks, Gardner, no. 12. 



Leaves, when dry, more erect and appressed, and gradually narrowed 



from an ovate base in which the saffron-coloured spot appears to be 



uniformly present. 



P. HORRIDUS {Mitten). Habitu formis communibus P.formosi, caule 

 simplici, foliis rigidis siccitate vix mutatis e basi subovata erecta, 

 convoluta, cellulis elongatis angustis subpellucidis subito superne in 

 parvas depressas transeuntibus angustatis divaricatis lanceolatis apice 

 sensim angustatis acutis lamellis obtectis marginibus e basi partis an- 

 gustatae dentatis erectis dorso apice parce subindistincte dentato, peri- 

 ehsetialibus caulinis conformibus paululo angustioribus, theca in 

 pedunculo elongato oblonga horizontali bi-angulata plano-convexa. 

 P. Magellanicum, Hedw. Sp. Muse. t. xx. fig. 2. 



Hab. Hermite Island, Cape Horn, Dr. J. D. Hooker. Sandy Point, 

 Magellan, Lechler, 1163. Falkland Islands, Dr. J. D. Hooker and 

 Lechler, 97. 



Young leaves glaucous green, the older and nearly the whole plants 

 feiTuginous, stiff, and scarcely at all altered by drying, gradually narrowed 

 at the apex into a bristly point, not obtusish as in P. Magellanicus, nor 

 so abruptly narrowed from the dilated base, but gradually narrowed from 

 a base of a subovate form. Hedwig's fig. 2, I. c. excellently represents 

 the leaves of this species; but the figure of the whole plant (fig. 1) is 

 very different, and equally well depicts the species here understood as 

 P. Magellanicus ; and as both inhabit the same region, it may not be 



