GRIMMIACEAE. 159 
a, erence ae crispulum (H, f. & W.) Het. & W.; Bl. Taam.,.p.:181 
(1867); FI. N.Z., ii, 75; Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 426. 
Syn. i ryptoden crispulus H. f. & W., Fl. Antaret. i, 57 (1843). 
Rhacomitrium convolutum Mont. in Ann. Sc. Nat., iv, 122 (1845). 
Grimmia symphyodonta C. M., Syn., i, 809 (1849). Rhacomitrium 
symphiodon Mitt. in FI. Tasm. .. li, 181 (melius i pe stie  e 
Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 426. R. protensum H. f. & W., FI. 
ii, 76; Handb. N. Z. Fl., p. 426 (non Braun). Grimmia eg: 
C. M. in Hedwig., 1898, p a G. helvola C. M., op. et loc. cit. 
Dryptodon peta 6 in F. v. Mueller’s Fragm. ds 
austr., xi, p. 114. Boscoman tum chlorocarpum, Par. Ind., ed. i 
Var. rupestre (H. f. & W.) Dixon comb. nov. 
Syn. Dryptodon rupestris H. f. & W. im Lond. Journ. Bot., 
p. 544. Rhacomitrium rupestre H. f. & W., Fl. N.Z., ti, 65 868) 
Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 426. Grimmia_ nigrita C. M., Syn., i, 801. 
Rhacomitrium nigritum Jaeg., Adumbr., i, 568. 
The plants of this specific type are very difficult to unravel. There 
is a remarkable parallelism between them and the various forms of 
R. heterostichum, including R. affine, of the Northern Hemisphere, and they 
have led, like that, to the founding of numerous species, each presenting 
characters of some importance, but too closely intergrading to be seg retard 
regarded as specific. Like the northern plant, the stems ma 
fastigiately branched and almost without the short lateral iraaelles 
characteristic of Rhacomitrium, or these may be well developed; the leaves 
may be elongate and subcrisped when dry, or short and closely imbricated ; 
saree may be erect or faleate; the margins widely recurved throughout, 
very narrowly on one side only ; the upper cells may be isodiametric or 
hiugte (both forms occurring on the same stem); the apex may be longly 
or shortly hair-pointed or quite without hairs, and may then be acute or 
obtuse ; the seta varies much in length, and the capsule also in size, shape, 
and colour 
For these reasons I am unable to see more than one specific type in the 
plants which have been described as species under the above synonymy. 
I have felt a slight hesitation about R. rupesire, and, as it appears at the 
least to be a very extreme form, and to have certain marked characters 
showing some constant aon os : a retained it as a variety. Cardot 
(Fl. bryol. des Terres Magell., & 11) has described and figured a ag 
striking feature in the cualtn. ‘a ae plant, which I have verified in 
specimen from Kerguelen, in which the cell-walls of the basal ‘aclataes 
are punctulated with dots in longitudinal rows, which in the upper part of 
the leaf become laterally extended and confluent so as to form short horizontal 
plicae or furrows (are they not perhaps rather thickenings of the cell-wall ?) 
crossing and obscuring the upper cells. I have made no , of the 
me- 
teeth. This latter character is no doubt the one on which authors have 
mainly relied in keeping R. rupestre distinct as a species from R. crispulum, 
