354 Transactions* — Botany. 



Art. LII — A DescrijHion of some new Species of Gymnostomum. 

 By Charles Knight, F.R.C.S., F.L.S. 



[Bead hffore the Wellington Philosophical Society, 29th August, 1874.] 



1. Gymnostomum patulum, n. s. 

 Caulis hrevis. Folia sicca crispata anguste lanceolato-linearia hasi vix latiora 

 margine suhapicem erecta, nervo virido in acumen 2'>^oducto e cellulis minutis 

 rotundatis chlorophyllo repletis basi parallelogrammis laxioribus areolata ; 

 pericliretiala longiora erecta linealia. Theca in pedunculo hrevi elliptica, 

 orificio membrana clauso, operculo oblique subuli-rostro. 



Stems short. Leaves crisped lanceolato-linear scarcely wider at the base, 

 the margin erect under the apex, nerve green excurrent, point aristate, 

 areolae formed of minute rounded cells filled with chlorophyl, towards 

 the base more lax and four-sided, the perichaetial leaves longer, erect. Fruit- 

 stalk no longer than the perichaetial leaves. Capsule elliptic, the mouth closed 

 by a membrane, operculum oblique with an awl-shaped beak. 



2. Gymnostomum hnightii^ n. s. Schimp, in litt. 



Caulis perbrevis. Folia linguceformia carinata, margine e hasi ad aincem 

 recurva, ubique e cellulis minutis pellucidis rotundatis areolata, nervo crasso 

 infra apicem evanido, Theca in pedunculo medio erecta oblonga sicca cylin- 

 drica, operculo rostrato, et thecse orificium membrana non clausum. 



Stem very short. Leaves tongue-shaped, keeled, margins recurved from 

 base to apex. Areolae minute, round, pellucid, nerve stout, vanishing below the 

 apex. Capsule oblong, erect, mouth not closed by a membrane. Oi^erculum 

 beaked. 



3. Gymnostomum calcareum var. intermedium. 



Plantse densissime ccespitosce gracillimce, inferne ferruginere. Folia minuta 

 erecta crispula lanceolato-linearis mutica obtusa concava, ahnqHe evanidinervia^ 

 margine minute crenulata et circum apice erecta, e cellulis b^isi rectangular- 

 ibus pellucidis superne rotundatis parvis papillosis areolata. Theca ovali- 

 cylindrica ; ore e cellulis transverse angustatis 2>luriseriatis formato. 



Stems densely csespitose, slender, ferruginous below. Leaves minute, erect, 

 crisped when dry, linear-lanceolate, concave, obtuse, with a mucro. ^Margin 

 minutely crenulate, erect round the blunt apex; nerve ceasing below the 

 apex. Capsule cylindrical when dry, the mouth formed by several series of 

 narrow cells. 



This moss differs greatly from Seligera calcarea, Br. et Sch., to which 

 Hooker refers it. The latter has a yellow-red coloured peristome with broad 

 flat teeth, stout bars, without a median lino. 



