S.A. JJRY'OPHYTA. 395 



Sphagnum is preseiil in open swamps, thoug:h rare; 

 ei)iphytes are al)undant iu the forests and forest-clumps; meso- 

 {)hytes like Atrichum andro(iyini}H, Microfhajmiium pscudo- 

 rcptans, Thiiidium promontoril, Rhodobryum rosenm, and R. 

 iimbraculum are common where there is forest shade, and 

 Macroinitrimii sps. and Brachymcninm pulchnim are abundant 

 on trees apart from the forest. But in this regit)n, more than 

 in any of the others, much has still to 1>e added to our know- 

 ledge of the Bryophyta, and collectors should note that speci- 

 mens are desired. 



V'l. MoUiXTAix Regions. ~-()n the tops of the mountains 

 at elevations of 5,000 to 10,000 feet in Natal, Basutoland. and 

 Orange Free State, and at gradually reduced altitudes southward 

 to about 3,000 feet at Table Mountain, species which are of a 

 distinctly alpine type occur freely, and tisually either corres])ond 

 with or are closely related to alpine species of other coimtries. 

 Owing to the rigorous nature of the habitat these species are 

 often more or less in complete ix>ssession. forming wide, flat 

 mats on nearly bare nKk, and a large proportion of them have 

 hair-pointed lea^■es, hyaline in many cases. Fructilica- 

 tion is rare- or usually absent in many oif these species; still, in 

 their own habitat these are well represented, asexual rei)roduc- 

 tion by detached Ijuds or branches taking ])lace in several and 

 I'ossiblv in most cases. 



Among these alpine fi:)rnis are: — • 



CanipylopHS. Brytiin ol/'ininii L'lurioiidantlius liir- 

 Rhacomitrium. (Wilmsi't). tcllns. 



Grimmla. Bryiiiii svntricliioidcs. AongstrcDnia. 



Andrecea. Hryuiii afro-alpinuiii. Polytriclinni. 



Gymnostoiniim. Bryiini oranicuni. Pogonatiim. 



Zygodon. Bryitm argcntctiiii. PsUopiliim. 



BreittcUa. SicUinia cawia. Corsiiiia. 



Hedwigia. Pilrichiiiii. J'iinbriaria, 



Anihoccros. 



And in wet ])laces or along streams occur: — 



Sphagmiiii. Bryuiii. P'issidens. 



Pli iloiiotis. Hygroa m blystegin ni . Coiiom itn'ii m . 



Bartrainidula. Drepanocladus. Blyttia. 



Preiitatodoii. Amblystcgium ripar- MarcJianiia. 



P. iistich ia . in m . Symph ogyn a . 



Mnimn. Leucobryitiii. Riccia fliiitans, etc. 



And on Table Mountain Schistochila alafa (the only South 

 African representative of the large Northern family Scapinia- 

 ceae), and Jamcsontclla colorata. 



Systematic Distribution. 



It may be of interest briefly to state the South African repre- 

 sentation of the orders into which the Bryophyta of the world 

 are arranged, as some are entirely absent. These absences are 



