172 BRYOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 
fore have come from another species. I have examined many hundreds of 
calyptras of O. calvuum, and have never seen a pilose one; I think there is 
no doubt, therefore, that Wilson’s remark may be neglected. In any case 
he finally wrote up Col. 484c as “O. calvum,” and in the description in 
Fl. N.Z. the calyptra is described simply as naked. 
In all other respects Col. 817 and Col. 484c agree, and from the two 
combined a good idea may be obtained of the essential characters of the 
species in its typical form. Having grasped these I had no difficulty in 
recognizing it among Mr. Gray’s specimens, and am able therefore to 
supplement the published description from freshly gathered material. Th 
leaves are small, narrow, lingulate, subacute or almost obtuse, rarely narrowed 
to a really acute point, very slightly crisped when dry; the cells small 
and but little papillose, the margin n plane above, usually slightly recurved 
below. The capsule is small, usually passing rather abruptly into the 
seta when moist, and at the time of maturity, but lke most iii 
strongly ribbed; the calyptra is usually pale brown at the base, bright 
red-brown at apex, usually somewhat lobed at base when fully expanded 
and fallen. The stomata are immersed, the overlapping cells almost meeting 
one another, so as to leave only a small irregular aperture. They are 
below the middle of the capsule. The exothecium cells are very regularly 
and ed rectangular or quadrate, in longitudinal series, those on the 
ribs with rather incrassate walls, those in the furrows thinner walled. The 
peristome is pure-white at the fall of the lid, the teeth 16, united in pairs, 
densely and rather finely papillose with a tendency to vertical striation, 
the median and dividing [vertical] lines pellucid, the inner plate of the 
teeth being thinned or even absorbed along these lines; the processes 8, 
delicately filiform, smooth and hyaline. The outer peristome-teeth are 
erect or spreading at the fail of the lid, becoming finally—after moistening 
and drying again—reflexed, so as to lie flat against the wall of the capsule. 
When old they become brownish. Spores about 20p. 
I have described these structures at some iad as they will inthe the 
allied or similar species to be characterized more simply by compari 
. calvum, however, varies in some directions to a somewhat cis abt 
extent, and I found it at first difficult to resist the conviction that several 
distinct gee were involved; the presence, however, of intermediate 
forms on t d, or on the other the restrictions of the variation to 
a single shawaotas: unaccompanied by any further deviation, have convinced 
me that this cannot be maintained. 
(a.) The calyptra may be quite pale, greenish-white, with only a slightly 
brown point. Intermediate forms occur. 
b.) The outer teeth may show a pronounced tendency to a red or 
brown colour. This I have rarely observed, and various shades of colour 
were seen in different capsules on the same tuft, all in the same stage. The 
processes share in the alteration of the colouring. 
~ (e.) The length of the seta varies to a remarkable extent. One particular 
form has all the appearance, at first, of a different species. Here the seta 
is very short, much shorter than the capsule, whieh i is scarcely exse 
_ The capsule is-small, very much constricted both at and below the mouth. 
