NECKERACE.E.] 20/ [Climactum. 



Pterigynandrum Smithii Brid. Sp. muse. I, 140 (1806). 

 Lasia Smithii Brid. Mant. 133 (1819). 



Hookeria convoluta Spreng. Syst. nat. iv, P. 2, p. 324 (1827). 

 Neckera (Lepiodon) Smithii C. Muell. Synops. ii, 118 (1850). 

 Alsia Smithii Lindb. Jou-m. Lii.i; Soc. X 1 li , ^ / O^P) ■ 



Dioicous ; in depressed bright or dingy green tufts. Secondary stems 

 densely pinnate and bipinnate ; the branches sometimes long and flagelli- 

 form, complanate when moist, when dry spirally involute, and with many 

 small lineal paraphyllia in the leaf axils. Leaves in 8 rows, the dorsal and 

 ventral incumbent, the lateral divergent, asymmetric, linguiform, nerved 

 for f their length ; cells minute roundish, at base on both sides of nerve 

 longish rectangular. Perich. bracts broadly lanceolate, the inner long and 

 acuminate, vaginula with long hairs reaching the capsule, which is exserted 

 on a very short seta, oval and reddish-brown. Calyptra cucullate, with 

 scattered hairs ; lid conical, obliquely rostellate ; teeth of peristome whitish, 

 lineal-lanceolate, papillose, splitting in the median line, endostome a narrow 

 basal membrane. 



Hab. — On bark of trees and on rocks. Fr. 4, rare. 



Most frequent in Sussex and Devonshire. Barham downs, Kent {Smith). 



The American Alsia abietina Sulliv. (Icones t. 72^) is closely allied to the 

 present species. 



Sect. 2. METEORIE^. Fertile branches arising from a creeping stem, or on 

 long pendulous or floating stems, sometimes with shrublike branches. Leaves 

 equal on all sides or in rows or compressed, sometimes bifarious, glossy or 

 obscure, and with narrow cells. 



S. CLIMACIUM Web. Mohr. 



Reise durch Schweden, p. 96 (1804). 



Stem subterranean, rhizomatoid, beset with radicles ; secondary stems 

 erect and dendroid, with simple branches at top, and squamose appressed 

 leaves ; those of the branches ovate, nerved, plicate, with narrow rhombic 

 cells. Capsule erect, cylindraceous ; calyptra slit up on one side ; peristome 

 of 16 teeth, united at base, endostome a narrow basal membrane with 

 ladder-like processes and no cilia.— Der. «\i/ta^, a ladder. 



A small genus of dendroid mosses, from which Lindberg removed the 

 Australian C. sulcatum (Hook.) Bridel, to form the genus Braithwaitea. There 

 is much superficial resemblance between the present species and Porotrichum 

 alopecurum ; the latter, however, is nearer to Hypnacese, and forms a connecting 

 link between the two families. 



