108 LYCOPODiACE^. [Tmesipteris 



■Capsules transversely oblong, 2-lobed, 2-celled, opening locuUcidally 

 by 2 valves, and placed in the fork of two leafy, shortly-petioled 

 bracts. Spores minute. (A genus of only one species.) 



1. T. forsteri, EndUdier. 



Steins 6-24 in. long. Leaves |-1 in. long, obliquely oblong, or 

 narrow lanceolate, coriaceous, truncate, obtuse or acute, with a single 

 nerve or midrib, which is often produced into a mucronate tip. 

 Bracts similar to the leaves, but smaller, occasionally replacing them 

 in the upper part of the stem. Capsules about ^- in. long. 



Synonyms. — T. tannensis, Bernh. ; T. truncata, Desv.; T. billar- 

 ■dieri, Skidl. ; and many others. 



^ Distribution. — Tasmania, Australia, and some of the Pacific 

 Islands ; also in Auckland and Chatham Islands. Its occurrence in 

 California is also given in the "Handbook Flora N.Z.," but is 

 apparently an error. The Australian specimens usually have the 

 capsule broader than long, and very distinctly 2-lobed; in New 

 Zealand specimens this last character is often nearly wanting. They 

 are also very rarely 3-celled, showing an alliance with Psilotum. 



With us this species is very common, being usually found as an 

 epiphyte on trees. It ranges from N. Cape to Stewart Island, and 

 ascends to 2,700 ft. at the Thames and on Pirongia. 



Genus IV.— PSILOTUM,* Swartz. 



Stems dichotomous above, leafless, or bearing minute scale-like 

 leaves, which are occasionally replaced by minute 2-fid bracts. 

 Capsules sessile in the axils of the bracts, nearly globular, 3-lobed, 

 3-celled, opening loculicidally in 3 valves. Spores minute. 



1. P. triquetrum, Swarte. (Pi. IV. fig. 8.) 



Rhizome short. Stems erect or pendulous, 3-15 in. long, simple 

 below, repeatedly dichotomous above ; branches 3-angled. Scale-like 

 leaves and bracts scattered, ^ in. long. Capsules x^-\ in. diam., 

 attached to the bracts below the forks. 



Distribution. — In most tropical or sub-tropical moist regions of 

 both Old and New Worlds. 



In New Zealand this peculiar-looking plant is confined to a small 

 area of the N. Island ; its southern limit being at Orakeikorako, in 

 the Hot Lake district, and its eastern at Motuhora Island, in the Bay 

 ■of Plenty. It is rather rare on the Auckland Isthmus, but abun- 

 dant on the face of the volcanic rocks of Ban gitoto. 



* Gr., Pailos, naked, from its leafless appearance. 



