CoLENSo. — Description of a new species of Metzgeria. 869 



bifid, emarginate, transparent, midrib very apparent and extending to 

 margin at emarginate apex, margins entire ; fructification 3-5 on one frond, 

 from below at the fork of main division of frond, and again at each fork of 

 the secondary divisions ; calypira tubular, 3 lines long, very slightly incised 

 at top (somewhat resembling the tubular capsule of Cerastium vulgatum), at 

 first white, but after flowering bearing a pale reddish tinge ; involucre crisped 

 and fimbriate ; capsule (immature) at first linear-elliptic, dark coloured, 

 enclosed in tubular calyptra, 1 line long, afterwards seated on long whitish 

 succulent fi-uit-stalk, 10-12 lines long, bursting into four red-brown valves, 

 cohering by their apices. 



This interesting and curious little plant has very much of the appearance 

 of a stipitate Symphyogyna, to which genus I should undoubtedly have re- 

 ferred it had I not fortunately (after much research) found it in fruit. It 

 is very like S. fiahellata in general appearance, though quite distinct, and 

 without fruit, and at first sight might easily be confounded with it. It 

 has many natural characters in common with that genus, but from the 

 position of its ventral fructification it is placed (provisionally) under Metz- 

 geria. It seems, however, to serve to unite those two genera. Although 

 closely resembling Syniphyogijna flabellata in some particulars, it differs from 

 it not merely in the situation of its fructification, but also in its involucral 

 scale being much more crisped and even fimbriated (which, in that species, 

 has plain margins), while the top of its calyptra is very much less incised 

 (which, in that species, is largely cut and fimbriated), and the segments of 

 its fronds, instead of being obtuse, as in that plant, are emarginate. It 

 also largely differs in its habit of growth. Another pecuharity is its bearing 

 two manner of fronds from the same rhizome : one, the larger and often 

 fruitful one, as described ; the other is much smaller, and, though forked, 

 is less cut, and more palmate or sub-flabellate in outline, with the upper 

 part of the stipe winged, its colour a light green, quite glabrous and smooth, 

 and highly transparent. At first I had supposed it to be another species, 

 but subsequent and frequent examination has confirmed its forming with 

 the other and larger frond only one plant. 



Hah. — On the banks of a watercourse in a deep, secluded, damp glen, 

 on the west side of the main road, about four miles south from Norsewood, 

 in the " Seventy-mile bush," May, 1880, with immature^_fruit ; and again 

 in October, 1880, with fruit fully ripened, and passmg. Hitherto I have 

 only detected it growing in one small spot, though there plentifully. 



BcBomyces heteromorphus, Nyl. 



Thallus constaceous, spreading, thin, greyish or dull-white ; apothecia 

 reddish flesh-coloured, orbicular, flat or very slightly depressed, with a 

 finely crenlated margin, 1-5 together, separate rarely confluent, on a thick 



47 



