194 BRYOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 
drawn from the peristome. Unfortunately, while of high taxonomic value, 
this is of slight = help, as the presence or absence of an inner 
peristome often ¢ t be satisfactorily determined unless the fruit is quite : 
mature and in nee gelatine while in some species it is so fragile and 4 
easily lost that a proper determination is hardly possible when the fruit 
is a little past maturity. e form of the capsule is, however, often of 4 
great help, and most of the species can be determined by this alone ; and, 
as the plants are for the most part fertile, the difficulty is not greatly felt. 
1. Funaria apophysata (Tayl.) Broth in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam., 
Musci, i, 523 (1903). : 
yn. Gymnostomum apophysatum Tayl. in Lond. Journ. Bot., v 
(1846), p. 43. Entosthodon Taylori C. M., Syn., i, 122. Physcomi- 
trium apophysatum Wils. in Lond. os Bot., v (1846), p. 448 ; 
se Fl. N.Z., ii, 91; Handb. N.Z. FI., 
Quite distinct from most of the species in the stout clavate or oval 
(sometimes slightly pyriform) red-brown capsule, passing into a long 
is entirely wanting. Leaves cuspidate to subpiliferous, not border 
airly common; known also from Australia and Tasmania. 
aria subattenuata Broth. in Oefv. af Finska Vet.-Soc. Foerh., xl, 
‘on A808, 
wn from all the other species by the erect or suberect clavate 
leaves are subobtuse, with large cells and an indistinctly marked border. 
Seta about lem. Peristome single of short, pale-orange teeth. 
Besides the ee locality I have it from Mount Ida, Otago, where it 
was gathered by Mr. Petrie, at 3,000 ft.; and also from an unlocalized 
station in the South Island, coll. R. Brown ter. (as F. glabra). 
3. Funaria Helmsii Broth., op. sit., p. 172 (1898). 
This and the next species have erect symmetrical capsules, with a neck 
of almost equal length, which, however, does not taper gradually into the 
seta as in F. apophysata, nor is the seta so short proportionally as in that. 
The lid is flat when dry, slightly convex when moist. Leaves acute, 
obtusely serrulate above. Peristome single, similar to the last. 
I know of no subsequent gathering since Helms collected it. 
4. Funaria subcuspidata Broth., op. cit., p. 171 (1898). 
Syn. Meesia = R. Br. ter. in Trans. N.Z. Inst.} vol. 31, 
p. 464 (1899 
This species, of | E ae seen no specimen, is described by Bro therus 
as extremely near to F. Helmsii, but differing distinctly in the double 
peristome, the Spores coarsely warted, and the lid distinctly convex. 
Meesia R. Br. ter., is a Funaria which, so far as I have 
been able to examine it, agrees exactly with the present species. 
