FLORA VITIENSIS. 393 
Mitt. Linn. Soc. Journ. vol. x. p. 194. 1. Œ. involutaceum, Mitt. Linn. Soc. Journ. vol. x. p. 195.— 
Samoan Islands, Tutuila (Powell! п. 140). 2. GE. purpuratum (sp. nov.), Mitt.; caulis primarius repens, 
foliis parvis appressis oblongis subulato-acuminatis, ramos crassos in cæspitem demum congestos дух ион 
folia ramea tumide imbricata, patentia, oblongo-ovalia, margine involutacea, conniventia, inde in subulam 
loriformem planam apice serrulatam producta, basi brevissime binervia, cellulis angustis ad angulos majo- 
ribus fuscis in maculam congestis.—Aneitum, on bark of trees (Milne! n. 878). This fine Moss forms 
large patches composed of densely tufted branches, about half an inch long, these arise from the closel 
creeping slender rhizomiform stem, and are of the same thickness as in Œ. rufescens, Hornsch., althoug 
shorter. The foliage is shining green or reddish purple. 
XI. Crypza, Brid. Caules primarii repentes radicantes. Rami fertiles eflagelliferi, fructiferi 
abbreviati vel elongati. Тһеса immersa. Calyptra parva, plurifida. 
1. C. gracilis (sp. nov.), Mitt.; monoica ; rami elongati, graciles, rigiduli, ramulis inordinatim 
dispositis pinnatim ramosi ; folia erecto-patentia, laxe imbricata, late ovata, obtusiuscule acuta, mar- 
gine inferne recurva, superne erecta, apicem versus crenulata, nervo sub apice desinente, cellulis 
superioribus parvis oblongo-ovalibus, basalibus ad angulos decurrentes rotundatis subquadratisve ad 
nervum paucis elongatis; fructu ex apicibus ramulorum vel in ramulo brevi e latere ramulorum 
oriens; theca subsessilis, oblonga, in foliis perichætialibus oblongis subulato-acuminatis acumi- 
nibus margine dorsoque serrulatis immersa, operculo depresse conico acuminato; peristomium 
depressum, dentibus pallidis, internum æquilongum, processibus angustis obscuriusculis ; calyptra 
parva, fusca, apice papulosa.— Viti (Seemann ! Milne!) ; Samoa (E. Greffe! ех Herb. Е. Mueller). 
Nearly allied to О. Gorveana, Mont., from Chili, but with shorter leaves, and a smaller and more de- 
pressed peristome, also to C. dilatata, Hook. f. et Wils. Fl. Nov. Zealand, t. 88. f. 2, but more slender, 
with more nearly ovate leaves, and those of the perichætium more than twice as wide. 
Tab. 98 P. Fig. 1, a stem of the natural size; 2, leaves with cells more enlarged; 3, the perichætium 
and capsule; 4, portion of peristome; 5, calyptra, all magnified. 
XII. Spiridens, Nees ab Esenb. Nov. Act. vol. xi. p. 143. Caulis erectus, basi radicans, superne 
simplex vel plus minus pinnatim divisus. Folia undique inserta, e basi erecta teneriora, laxius areolata, 
immarginata, amplexante angustata, planiuscula, firma, patentia vel squarrosa, pagina fasciis e dupli- 
cibus stratis cellularum compositis striata, limbo incrassato, denticulis parvis serrato-marginata, nervo 
superne szpe cum limbo coalito longe producto, inferne sæpe in parte folii erectiore obsoleto, cellulis 
polymorphis parvis elongatis pentagonis rotundisque immixtis levibus. Fructus in ramulo brevissimo 
e superioribus partibus caulium vel ramorum oriens; folia perichetialia parva. Theca magna, breviter 
pedunculata, operculo rostrato, peristomium magnum externum dentibus firmis elongatis, internum 
processibus ciliisque angustis in membrana exserta impositis. Calyptra cucullata. : 
The genus Spiridens includes a small number of species, but themselves among the largest of Mosses, 
they appear to grow in a tufted manner, without any trace of creeping stem, and in this particular differ 
from the equatorial Ameriean species of Prionodon, with which in many other particulars they agree. All 
the species eorrespond very nearly in size, babit, and appearance; some appear to be almost undivided, 
others are in the upper part of the stems branched in an irregularly pinnate manner. The leaves are de- 
scribed by Schimper as composed in their upper part of a double layer of cells, but this only occurs where 
the leaves are marked with thickened bands, and these are sometimes absent, so that the normal structure 
is, as usual among Mosses, a single stratum. The following two species have not yet been found in Viti, 
viz.:—1. S. capilliferus, Mitt. Linn. Soc. Journ. vol. x. р. 194, from Samoa, Tutuila, on Tree-ferns, 1500- 
2000 ft. (Powell! n. 128). Tab. 97. Fig. 1, a stem of the natural size; 2, a leaf, magnified. 2. 5. Vieil- 
lardi, Schimp., Spiridens Revis. p. 9. t. 2, from New .Caledonia (Dr. Vieillard); Pacifie Islands (Nightin- 
gale! Herb. Hooker) ; this is the only species yet known in which cilia are present between the processes 
of the internal peristome. 
l. S. aristifolius, Mitt. Linn. Soc. Journ. vol. x. p. 193; caulis elongatus, superne plus minus 
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