Diactiaea. 261 



about equal to sporangium, stout, expanded at the base into 

 a circular hypothallus, longitudinally rugulose, colour of spor- 

 angium ; columella pale, cylindrical, about half the height of the 

 sporangium, containing irregular masses of lime ; threads of 

 capillitium springing from the columella, irregularly branching 

 and anastomosing to form a dense net, attached by its ultimate 

 branches to the wall of the sporangium, threads 3 4 fj. broad 

 near the columella, flattened, tapering, pale dirty lilac to 

 colourless ; spores globose, minutely warted, brownish lilac, 

 11 14 fj. diameter. 



Diderma HooJceri, Berk., Fl., New Zealand, p. 191, T. CV., 

 f. 12. 



Lamproderma HooJceri, Host., Mon. Append., p. 24. 

 (Type in Herb., Kew.) 



Gregarious on living fronds of Hymenophyllum. New Zealand. 



A true Diachaea, as the genus is at present defined, and well 

 marked by the pale coloured globose sporangium, and the large 

 spores. 



(Rostafinski's Synonym.) 

 Diderma HooJceri, Berk., FL, New Zeal., p. 191, T. CV., f. 12. 



Sub-Gen. Hemidiachaea. 



Columella short or obsolete, and represented by a few lime 

 granules at base of sporangium. 



B. Spores with irregular, raised lands. 



Diachaea splendens, Peck (figs. 37, 38). 



Sporangia spherico-depressed and umbilicate leloiv, or reniform, 

 solitary or fasciculate on a common stem, deep peacock-blue 

 or purple, iridescent ; stem equal to or shorter than sporangium, 

 white, expanding into a vague hypothallus; columella white, 

 cylindrical or reniform, containing lime ; capillitium dense, 

 threads brown, anastomosing to form a network extending from 

 the columella to the sporangial wall; spores globose, purple- 



