﻿108 Dixon: New and rare Australasian 



aristatis, internis pluribus convolutis, erectis, in acumen loriforme 

 vel subaristatum dentatum attenuatis. Seta 1.5 cm. longa, 

 omnino laevis. Theca Plagiothecii, inclinata, oblongo-cylindrica, 

 curvata, brevicolla, 2 mm. longa; exothecii cellulae isodiametricae, 

 subincrassatae, collenchymaticae. Peristomii dentes pallidi, infra 

 dense alti lamellati, transverse striolati, linea media recta, supra 

 conferta articulati, pellucidi, sublaeves; processus peranguste 

 lanceolati, anguste rimosi, parce papillosi. Spori circa 16 m- 

 Cetera inquirenda. 



The systematic position of this species — beyond its undoubted 

 standing in the subgenus Polystigma — is not very clear. The 

 branches are slightly compressed with the lateral leaves spreading, 

 but only moderately so; the alar cells form a distinct group of 

 abruptly enlarged, hyaline, somewhat vesicular cells, and the 

 upper ones are very small and narrow, each with a row of well 

 marked but minute papillae, the marginal row of cells being 

 hyaline and smooth. The inflorescence is doubtful, probably 



Rhynchostegium cylindritheca Dixon, sp. no v. 

 Plate 9, figure 12 

 Robustum, late dense extensum; habitu et foliis Rh. tenuifolii, 

 sed rete perangustum, cell. 3-5 (jl latis (in R. tenuifolii 5-8 a^), 

 inferne minime laxius; illo R. tenuifolii minus pellucidum. Folia 

 per totam fere ambitum minute denticulatum ; folia perichaetialia 

 interna omnino erecta, madida stricta, brevius acuminata. Theca 

 anguste cylindrica, elongata, suberecta, sicca (deoperculata matura) 

 hand sub ore constricta ; operculum longe subulirostrum. Fructus 



Habitat: on wood, Mauriceville, Wairarapa, New Zealand, 

 September 26, 1912, W. Gray 145; on branches of tree, Mt. Bruce, 

 Wairarapa, 1912 and 1913, W. Gray 128; N. E. Valley, Dunedin, 

 D. Petrie. 



The Australasian species of Rhynchostegium are somewhat 

 diflicult of elucidation, R. tenuifolium (Hedw.) Jaeg. varying con- 

 siderably in leaf form, areolation, and denticulation, and R. elusum 

 (Mitt.) Jaeg. and R. aristatum (Hook. f. & Wils.) Jaeg. being 

 much alike in general appearance, and the former seeming to 

 lack very well defined characters. I believe the present however 

 to be a good species, although in general appearance very closely 



