Colenso. — Descriptions of new Indigenous Plants. 259 



Obs. III. I have with pleasure named this species after Mr. F. Reader 

 (formerly of Blenheim, New Zealand, but now of Victoria), an amiable, per- 

 severing and unassuming young botanist, and diligent collector of plants, 

 especially mosses ; which Order he has long made his particular and close 

 study, and that from pure love of nature, and not for mere pecuniary 

 gain. 



Genus 71. Hookeria, Smith. 



1. Hookeria trichophora, sp. nov. 



Plant small, under 1 inch high, densely tufted, stems erect ; branches 

 red, stout, -J— § inch long, simple and branched above, rooting below. 

 Leaves minute, ^ of a line long, sub-quadrifarious, oblong-orbicular, acu- 

 minate, serrulate half-length down from tip, nerve about half-through ; 

 crisp when dry ; cells very small above, increasing in size downwards from 

 apex of nerve and very large at base ; perichaetial erect, sub-ovate-lanceolate, 

 acuminate. Fruitstalk erect, ^— | inch long, longer than stems, flexuous, 

 smooth, red, springing from below the base of a branch, thickened and 

 rooting at base. Capsule oval, inclined or horizontal, sub-apophysate, 

 reddish, beak long, curved upwards. Calyptra white, fimbriate at base, tip 

 black and hairy ; hairs loose and very long, 



Hab. In patches on rotten trunks, deep and wet forests, Norsewood, 

 County of Waipawa ; 1884 : W.C. 



Obs. A species having some affinity with H. apiculata and rotundi- 

 folia ; differing from the former in its nerve and small cells ; and from the 

 latter by its small cells and white and hairy calyptra. 



2. Hookeria sciadophila, sp. nov. 



Plant 1—1^ inches high, sub-flabellate, bipinnately branched, thickly 

 tomentose below on main stems with branched red-brown hairs ; branches 

 flat, compressed, 3-4 lines wide, slightly concave, dark below, branchlets 

 and leaves closely imbricate. Leaves sub-quadrifariously disposed, broadly 

 elliptic, round at tips, above 1 line long, spreading, flat, light green, nerve 

 extending nearly to margin, margin entire and very thin ; cells small in 

 regular hexagons in the upper portion, and in very large oblong-hexagons 

 at lower half of nerve and base of leaf ; perichaetial small, ovate, nerve 

 stronger and cells larger. Fruitstalk lateral, springing from base of 

 branchlets, 3 lines long, black, flexuous, shining, incrassated at base with a 

 sheathing ring ; 2-3 together on a branchlet. Capsule oblong, sub-erect, 

 regularly and finely reticulate ; operculum conical, beak long. Calyptra 

 small, glabrous, very acuminate, tip black, slightly and finely lacerate at 

 base. 



Hab. On the ground, sides of deep narrow watercourses, dark forests 

 near Norsewood, County of Waipawa ; 1883-84 : W.C, 



