ox ZYGODON KUPESTEI8. 203 



of the Andes and the Sandwich Islands ; but J. colorata itself not only 

 prows throughout the entire length of the Andes (Mexico, Ecuador, 

 Chili, C. Horn, Falkland Is.), but circuits the world in the south tem- 

 perate zone (Australia, Tasaiania, * New Zealand, C. Horn, C. Good 

 Hope, Kerguelen Is.). Fine specimens with perianths were collected 

 by Dr. Hooker in several of these localities in the Antarctic expedi- 

 tion. I was not fortunate enough to find it in fertile state, but I have 

 seen few more beautiful sights than the broad dense patches, six to 

 eight inches high, and of the finest rose-colour, of /. colorata, as it 

 grows under the shade of Ericese (Gaultherias, Vacciniums, &c.) on 

 Tunguragua, at about 8000 feet. 



{To he continued.) 



ON ZYGODON RUPESTRIS^ 



Br Chas. p. Hobkiek. 



In February, 1875, amongst a number of Mosses received from my 

 friend, Mr. S. A. Stewart, of Belfast, was one labelled Zygodon viri- 

 dissimus, gathered on some Basaltic rocks near that town. On a 

 microscopical examination I found that it was not the typical Z. viri- 

 dissimus, but the form called Z. riqoestris by Dr. Schimper, as far as I 

 could judge, and on comparing it with a specimen from Dr. Zettustedt 

 from Sweden I was the more convinced that such was the case, the 

 Belfast specimen being the exact counterpart of the Swedish one. On 

 searching for a detailed description of Schimper's Moss I was unable 

 to find anything more definite than Dr. Braithwaite's short note in 

 "Journal of Botany," vol, ii., N.S., p. 199, which I here transcribe: — 



^^ Z. viridissimus, jj. rtipestris, Lindb. in Hartm. Exsic. (1861); 

 Hartm. Skand. Fl., p. 52 (1864). i3. saxicola, Molendo in 

 Lorentz Moosstudien, p. 95 (1864). Z. Stirtoni, Schp. MS. 



" Much more robust than the ordinary form. Leaves longer and 

 narrower, with shorter points, and more opaque. Capsules rather 

 more elongated." 



This being very unsatisfactory, and having no large public library 

 of reference at hand, I wrote to ask my friend Mr. Baker if he could 

 furnish me with a copy of the diagnosis from any of the works at 

 Kew, but he was unable to find anything. My curiosity was roused, 

 and not liking to let the matter drop, I wrote to one or two of my 

 friends to ask for the loan of specimens for examination, and I now 

 propose to lay before the readers of the "Journal of Botany" the 

 results of this examination, with a view of ascertaining if possible 

 whether this rock form should be considered as a species or merely a 

 variety of viridissimus. 



The chief distinction between our form and the type lies in the 

 nerve, which is almost always exserted and of a colour varying from 

 light to dark reddish-brown, and in the apex of the leaf. 



In the Swedish specimens the leaf is scarcely narrowed at the 



♦ Read at Conference of Cryptogamic Society of Perth, 30th September, 

 1875. 



