Colenso, — Newly-discovered Indigenous Plants. 285 



above) the junction of leaves with stem, sub-orbicular-ovate, 

 deeply emarginate, the upper half slightly and irregularly cilio- 

 Berrrate, the lower entire ; stipules on branchlets sparingly 

 ciliate ; ciliae jointed. Cellules very small, distinct, compact, 

 of irregular sizes and shapes, mostly rounded, sometimes sub- 

 rectangular, extending also into the teeth. 



Hab. On a rotten stump, forming a large handsome hemi- 

 spherical clump, completely hiding its support, and with nothing 

 else growing mixed with it, in a forest swamp among fern trees 

 (Dicksonut squarrosa), near Norsewood, County of Waipawa, and 

 only seen in that one spot ; October, 1885 : W.C. 



Obs. This is a remarkably fine species, perhaps our largest ; 

 it has close affinity with G. nobilis, Nees, and might easily be 

 taken for it at first sight. It differs, however, in its much larger 

 size, in its procumbent sub-pendulous habit, and in being 

 repeatedly forked ; also, in the different shape of its leaves (both 

 lobes, the upper lobe being also waved and rumpled), in their 

 being more distant and open, and much less and more finely 

 serrulate ; in the stipules also being entire in their lower half ; 

 and especially in the areolae being of a widely different shape, 

 very minute and distinct. Fruiting specimens not seen. 



Genus 24. Fossombronia, Raddi. 

 1. jP. macrophylla, sp. nov. 



Plant creeping, rather large, spreading 2-3 inches each way, 

 overlapping, much and dichotomously branched, succulent, very 

 fragile. Branches stoutish, dark-coloured, with many dark- 

 purple long rootlets below ; branchlets 4-9 lines long, usually 

 naked above in the middle. Leaves sub-erect, crowded, wavy 

 and rumpled, highly membranous, papillose, shining, green, 

 sub-reniform-quinquangular, 2^ lines broad above, sessile, 

 amplexicaul laterally, margins sub-excised-sinuate, with about 

 five small equidistant angles, sub-acute and minutely apiculate ; 

 tips of branchlets sub-rosulate ; cells large, broadly-oblong and 

 sub -orbicular -quadrate. Perianth large, erect, campanulate, 

 open, wavy, margins slightly laciniate. Fruit-stalk erect, stout, 

 6-8 lines long, white ; capsule globose, finely papillose, dark- 

 purple ; spores and elaters rich dark-brown ; the helices of 

 elaters minute and largely gibbous. On the capsule bursting, 

 the broken shell is reflexed on the stalk, and the spores and 

 elaters form a large globular ball. 



Hab. Damp shaded spots, ravines, east slopes of Ruahine 

 mountain range, County of Waipawa ; 1885 ; Mr. H. Hill. 



Obs. A species near to F. nigricaulis, Col. 



Genus 28. Podomitrium, Mitten. 

 1. P. smaraijdinum . sp. nov. 



Plant dark-green, procumbent, of dense growth, slightly 

 creeping, much and loosely overlapping and overgrowing ; fronds 



