244 TASMANIAN BRYOPHYTA, 



R.S TAS. 



Pterygophyllum denticulatum (H.f. et W.) Mitt. 



Suberect, 3 cm. dark green. Lateral leaves obovate from 

 a narrow base, 3 mm. ; margin strongly dentate ; nerve 

 bold, brown forked, vanishing about the middle; cells 

 hexagonal, about 54yu. Seta rather slender, 1 cm. ; capsule 

 broadlv oblong to nearly globose, pendulous, 1.2 mm., neck 

 abrupt ; lid conic, half as long as the capsule.- 



In damp gullies. Common. 



Pterygophyllum nigellum (H.f. et W.) Jaeg. 



Slender, often elongated. Leaves distant, usually in 

 three rows, nearly equal, dark green, drying black, obovate 

 from a narrow base to nearly orbicular, 2-3 mm. ; margin 

 coarsely dentate above ; nerve forked, vanishing in the 

 middle; cells rotund, 40-50m. Seta L5 cm.; capsule oblong- 

 pyriform, pendulous ; apophysis obconic, curved, length 

 without the apophysis 1.2 mm. ; lid as long as the capsule. 



Restoring very poorly after being dried. 



Very common in damp gullies. 



Fam. 15— POLYTRICHACEAE. 



Erect, usually simple, the stem strong and hard. Leaves 

 usually very firm and rigid, narrow; nerve bold, often 

 broad ; upper surface bearing few or many longitudinal 

 lamellae. Fruit teirminal on a long seta ; capsule round, 

 flat on one side, or four angled ; lid conic or rostrate ; 

 calyptra narrow cucullate, sometimes coj^iously covered 

 with long hairs, giving it a mitriform appearance. Peri- 

 stome of 32 or 64 very short simple teeth not divided by 

 cellular partitions and joined above to a membranous disc 

 except in Dawsonia where the numerous teeth are slender 

 long and free. Androecia in a terminal disc. 



A well-defined group not bearing apparent afiinity with 

 any other family. 

 Oatharinea. Leaves soft with few lamellae on the upper 



surface, crisping when dry. 

 PsiLOPiLUM. Lea,ves rigid, lanceolate; capsule oblong 



smooth ; calyptra bare or nearly so. Peristome teeth 32. 



PoGONATUM. Leaves rigid, lanceolate ; capsule oblong, 

 smooth ; calyptra clothed with long hairs. Peristome 

 teeth 32. 



PoLYTRiCHADELPHUS. Leaves very narrow, acute ; capsule 

 flat on one side, smooth ; calyptra bare. Peristome 

 teeth 64. 



