220 Drs Hooker and Grcville on the Genus Calymperes 



which is the only species also which wants the reticulated 

 pellucid base.) The seta is terminal, more or less elongated. 

 The capsule oblong or subcylindrical, smooth, sometimes 

 very shining. Operculum more or less acuminated and 

 straight. Calyptra large, enveloping the capsule, and, in 

 most instances, closely embracing the fruit-stalk with its base. 



The points in which the two genera appear to differ are 

 these. In the first genus, Calymperes, the fruit-stalk is rarely 

 exserted beyond the points of the leaves. The calyptra is 

 constantly very large, deeply striated or sulcated, closely en- 

 veloping the capsule, like a mantle with many longitudinal 

 folds, somewhat spirally twisted, firmly embracing the upper 

 part of the seta, never, that we can find, deciduous, but open- 

 ing by fissures where it surrounds the mouth of the capsule, 

 and containing at its extremity the loosened operculum. This 

 operculum is, we believe, in every instance conico-acuminate, 

 and never equal to half the length of the capsule. The cap- 

 sule has no true peristome ; but in lieu of it, Schwaegrichen 

 finds in the species lonchophyllum and Palisoti, a yellow ho- 

 rizontal membrane, with a circular line at a short distance 

 from the margin, and radiated in one from the centre to the 

 circumference ; in the other only to the intra-marginal circle, 

 with sixteen lines, representing, as it were, so many teeth. 

 We, on the contrary, can only see in very perfect specimens 

 of C. Palisoti, a uniform, whitish, spongy, horizontal mem- 

 brane. Schwaegrichen, again, in his C. Moluccense, both 

 figures and describes this membrane as conical, green, and 

 filling the interior of the operculum. Sprengel describes that 

 of C. Berterti simply as covering the mouth of the capsule. 



In the genus Syrrhopodon, the seta is more elongated, 

 mostly exceeding the length of the leaves. The calyptra is 

 smooth, not twisted, opening longitudinally on one side, and 

 deciduous. This part, however, we must confess, is variable 

 in length, and, in some instances, approaches too near to the 

 true dimidiate calyptra. The operculum has a subulate point, 

 as long as the capsule, (except in the doubtful S. Taylori.) 

 The peristome is variable: in S. Gardneri, which must be con- 

 sidered as the type of the genus, the peristome is unquestion- 

 ably horizontal, formed of sixteen transversely striated red 



