294 Tramactions. — Botany. 



16. M. obtusistipuhim, sp. nov. 



Plant prostrate, small, slender, repeatedly overlapping itself 

 in growth ; stems brown, stoutisb, wiry, l-lj inches long, f line 

 wide (including leaves), simple, loosely and sparingly forked 

 at top. Leaves small, pale brownish-green, alternate, distant, 

 tender, fugacious, opaque, very slightly adhering to stem, narrow 

 oblong, broadest at base, truncate, trifid ; teeth rather coarse, 

 large and blunt ; margins slightly uneven ; dorsal margin much 

 arched, the basal portion falcate ; ventral margin nearly straight. 

 Cells sub-orbicular, very obscure, but regularly disposed in rows 

 between dark longitudinal lines, appearing as if each cell was 

 composed of 5 cellules, separated by a star-like division, and as 

 if there were two layers of superimposed cells. Stipules free, 

 rather large (for plant), as broad as the leaves at theu* bases, 

 distant, appressed, highly cellular, cuneate-quadrate, 4-lobed ; 

 lobes short, broad, and very obtuse. Flagellae 0. 



Hub, On the ground, thickly overrunning loose dry vege- 

 table debris ; low damp spots, forests near Norsewood, County of 

 Waipawa; 1886: W.C. 



Genus 19. Polyotus, Gottsche. 

 1. P. smaragdinus, sp. nov. 



Plant prostrate ; stems creeping, 3-4 inches long, 2-pinnately 

 branched ; branches spreading, upper ones very long ; branchlets 

 numerous, alternate, diverging, irregular in length, 3-15 lines 

 long. Leaves, a pleasing emerald-green, distichous, regular ; 

 stem leaves close, patent, not imbricate, broadly cordate-ovate, 

 dimidiate, apiculate, margins entire but slightly uneven, with 

 usually 4 large lacinia-like cilias at the base on each side ; cells 

 sub-orbicular, distinct ; leaves on branches imbricate, orbicular- 

 elliptic, largely apiculate, margins entire, auricles clavate, dark- 

 red when mature, with a minute subulate fimbria at the base ; 

 cells large, hexagonal, wdth minute interstitial cellules. Stipules 

 on main stems 4-partite, segments ciliato-laciniate all round, 

 cilife jointed ; sinuses long, clear ; cells oblong ; stipules on the 

 branchlets similar but very minute, bearing 2 very small clavi- 

 form appendages, similar to those on leaves but much smaller. 



Hdh. On bark of trees, and among mosses on the ground ; 

 dark woods near Norsewood, County of Waipawa ; 1886 : W.C. 



Obs. This truly elegant species has affinity with both P. 

 daviijcr and /'. ji/ilpehnfolins, Gottsche, but differs from them 

 and from all other known species in several particulars, espe- 

 cially in colour and in form of leaves and stipules. 



2. P.Jimbriatus, sp. nov. 



Plant proptrate, creeping ; stpms stout, flexnous. pendulous, 

 4-0 inches long, 3-piuuately branched ; branches straggling, 



