137 



istomimn duplex : ext. e dentibus sedecim ; int. membrana 

 brevi reticulata subplicata, apice dentato-laciniata. Ca- 

 lyptra dimidiata. 



Brachymenum pulchrum ; densissime caespitosum, subramo- 

 sum, foliis late ovatis concavis reticulatis arete imbricatis 

 nitidis integerrimis, nervo longe excurrente pilifero, cap- 

 sula erecta pyriforrai, operculo conico obtuso. (Tab. 

 XXXVIII.) 



Hab. In nemoribus, prope Swellendam, Africee australis, 

 legit CI. Mund. 



Caules subpollicares, in caespites magnos densissime congesti, 

 subramosi, erecti, inferne valde tomentosi, radiculis ferru- 

 gineis intertextis. Folia dense imbricata, tenera, late 

 ovata, integerrima, reticulata, pulcherrime nitida, nervo 

 ultra apicem in pilo longo, flexuoso, denticulate excurrente, 

 Perichcetialia lanceolata in pilum longiorem attenuata. 

 Seta terminalis, uncialis, erectus, laevis, basi perichajtio 

 bulbiformi instructa. Capsula erecta vel paululum in- 

 clinata, subapophysata, pyriformis exannulata. Calyptra 

 mihi ignota. Operculum exacte conicum, obtusum. Pe- 

 ristomium duplex: ext. e dentibus 16, subulatis, trans- 

 versim striatis, rubris, madore, patentibus : int. membrana, 

 dentibus brevior, erecta, flavo-fusca, subplicata, reticulata, 

 hie illic perforata, apice dentato-laciniata. Semina parva, 

 viridia. 



The only species of Brachymenium hitherto known to me, 

 are those which I have received from Nepal, B. nepalense 

 and B. bryoides, Hook. The present plant, a native of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, unquestionably belongs to the same 

 genus, and is an extremely beautiful species, forming large 

 dense tufts with closely imbricated, externally very convex 

 shining bright green leaves, each terminated by a long flexu- 

 ose hair point. Both in the general appearance of the 

 leaves and of the capsule, this plant has considerable affinity 

 with Leptostomum .■ but the peristome .is near that of a Bryum. 

 The outer teeth I find in this Brachymenium to spread out 



