448 . Transactions. — Botany. 



Caijsule sinall, pendulous, pyriform, narrowed into the fruit- 

 stalk, and very contracted at the mouth. Peristome double, 

 outer teeth 16, free to the base ; inner, a membrane divided 

 into 16 processes to the middle. Operculum very small, 

 convex, apiculate. Calyptra not found. 



Hab. Styx Marsh, on wet ground ; October, 1898, Col- 

 lected by E. B. 



Named after Dr. Thomas, late President of Philosophical 

 Institute of Canterbury. 



4. B. ^vaikariense, sp. nov. Plate XL., fig. 16. 



Plants extremely small, growing in small gregarious patches 

 •3^0 in. high. Stem -g^rr in. ; innovations j^in., pale-green, 

 barren. Leaves erecto-patent, imbricating, small, subdeltoid, 

 acute ; margins entire, plain, nerved to the apex. Innovation 

 leaves small, lanceolate, acuminate ; nerve escurrent ; margins 

 entire. Areola small, subtrapezoid, quadrate at the base ; 

 when dry erect and adpressed. Perichcetial leaves one-half 

 smaller than the upper ones, deltoid, nerved to the apex ; 

 acrocarpous. Fruitstalk flexuous, 3^ in. long, curved at the 

 apex. Capsule small, oval. Operculuvi convex, minutely 

 apiculate. Calyptra not found. 



Hah. On damp banks ; April, 1882. Collected by E. B. 



5. B. otahapaense. Plate XL., fig. 17. 



Plants slender, dioecious, growing in small patches about 

 |-in. high, dark-green. Stem ^in.-Jin., slender; innovations 

 erect, 2 or 3, slender. Leaves erecto-patent, imbricating round 

 the stem ; upper ones oblong-lanceolate, long-acuminate ; 

 middle, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate ; margins entire, plain ; 

 nerve excurrent, toothed at the apex. Areola : Upper, trape- 

 zoid ; lower, quadrate ; leaves erect when dry. Perichcetial 

 leaves smaller, ovate, acuminate ; nerved to the apex ; acro- 

 carpous. Friiitstnlk ^ in. -fin. long, inclined shortly, curved 

 at the apex. Capsule small, oval. Peristome double; outer 

 teeth 16, free to the base; inner, a membrane divided to the 

 middle into 16 teeth, alternate with the outer. Operculum 

 conic. 



Hah. On damp banks, near Otahape, North Island ; March, 

 1895. Collected by E. B. 



6. B. gibsonii, sp. nov. Plate XL., fig. 18. 



Plants growing in dense patches, green above, dark- brown 

 below, 1 in. high, slender. Stems nearly simple. Leaves 

 erecto-patent, imbricating round the stem ; lower ones dis- 

 tant, shortly ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, slightly concave ; 

 margins entire, plain ; nerve excurrent, entire or slightly 

 toothed. Innovation leaves small, linear-lanceolate, acute. 

 Areola : Upper, trapezoid ; lower, hexagonal ; leaves slightly 



