SOME XEW OENER.V OF MOSSES 105 



tvpieal Pottiaceous fruit, but the Rpirally-arranged cells of the 

 caly|)tra, and the peristome characters, leave no doubt as to its 

 aHfinitj being rather witli the Potfiacece, among which, however, it 

 has no near allies, and it may probably have to form the type of 

 a new Family. 



The IG peristome teeth are united below in an orange, subpellucid, 

 smooth basal membrane, rising well above the orifice of the capsule ; 

 this is divided into transversely oblong divisions, with rather thin 

 Avails, and is very clearly dilferentiated from the u]:)per j^art of 

 the peristome ; the whole of each tooth above this membrane is cleft 

 into two long filiform branches, quite Barbuloid in their form, and 

 more or less spirally contorted at maturity, though to what extent 

 is not clear from the small material. In their lower part these 

 branches are very densely covered with fine, very high papilla ; 

 above they are less highly papillose, and are very closely spirally 

 thickened as in many species of Fissidens and in various Pottiaceous 

 species. The calyptra (only seen in one half-mature capsule) does 

 not reach below the lid, and shows no sign of splitting at that 

 stage at least ; it is probable that it may resemble that of Strepto- 

 pogon, with which genus the present plant has some other slight 

 afiinities. 



I have not been able to ascertain definitely the presence of 

 stomata. I cannot certainl}^ say that they are absent, but if present 

 they are either rudimentarj^ or immersed. The great irregularity of 

 the walls of the spongy tissue of the capsule-base makes observation 

 Very difficult, and I have not ventured to dissect the little available 

 material remaining for the purpose. 



CEdipodiace^. 

 (Edipodiella Dixon, gen. nov. 



Caulis brevis, repens, ssepe subterraneus, rhizomaticus, suecu- 

 lentus, pallidus, ramos emittens perbreves, ad basin siepe nudos, ad 

 apicem dense, rosulate foliosos. Folia (nisi quoad marginem basi- 

 larem nudam, baud ciliatam) atque propagula apicalia gemmiformia, 

 eis CEdipodii similia. 



Theca cleistocarpa, minuta, subsessilis, e foliis coraalibus vix 

 emergens, subs])ha?rica, apiculo brevirostro recto (ad instar operculi, 

 baud tamen dehiscente) coronata, succulenta, maturitate brunnea, 

 a^tate lateraliter disrumpens ; spori 40-50 ;/, badii, laeves. 



(Edipodiella australis (Wager & Dixon) Dixon, comb. nov. 



Syn. CEdipodium australe Wager & Dixon in Trans. Roy. Soc 

 S. Afr. iv. 8. 



Hab. Near the sea, Natal, sterile, H. A. Wager, 1910 (n. 3) : 

 Pirie Forest, King William's Town, Cape Prov., 1919, c.fr. • JVoqer 

 (823). 



Only a few capsules of this latter gathering have been received, 

 but sufficient to show that it is entirely different from (Edipodmm 

 Griffithianum, and must be placed in a separate genus. In the 



