264 BRYOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 
EXCLUDED SPECIES. 
Meteorium molle = We Rerciaipedh mollis. 
M. cuspidiferum = Papillaria crocea. 
M. flexicaule <S Papdions Hirioanle: 
M. pusillum = Tetraphidopsis pusilla. 
ORTHORRHYNCHIUM Reichdt. in Verh. zool. bot. Ges. Wien, 1868, 
p. 115. 
Syn. Phyllogonium Brid. Bry. univ. 11, p. 671 (1827) p.p. 
The mosses of the sub-family shar Aine aoe of Neckeraceae form a 
very distinct group, formerly all placed under Phyllogonium Brid. 
characterized by the exceedingly rete: distichous, tg ee ones boat- 
shaped leaves usually possessing a very br illiant sheen, and so regu- 
larly and closely imbricate that a stem or branch may Be eauily taken 
for a single minute fern-frond or leaf; while the fruiting characters 
are equally marke 
Reichhardt ais bc ales Zealand form from Phyllogonium 
as Orthorrhynchium 7, on grounds which (in addition to 
geographical distribution) Ww wotla if constant certainly justify their 
generic segregation. Unfortunately several of the characters on 
which he founded it are shop reliable, while P. c: — “cum Lindb., 
which Brotherus places under Orthorrhynchium, for rather 
uneomfortable snk potieede the two genera both ackcaihaac blbeaiie and 
taxonomically. 
Orthorrhynchium elegans (H. f. & W.) Reichdt., op. et loe. cit. 
Syn. Phyllogonium elegans H. f. & W. in aad: Journ. Bot. iii, 
548 (1844); Fl. N.Z. ii, 102; Handb. N.Z. F1., p. 462. 
This very pretty little moss is fouiid 3 in boih Islands, and is gener- 
ally considered an endemic plant; but it is more probable that it is a 
species with wide distribution, and that most of the allied, geogra- 
phieal species are identical with it, or at most very slightly ‘different 
pecerepiiell races. In this case it will have a “ae distribution in 
Australasia and Oceania, aes even to Ceylon (O. Nietneri 
C.M.). The fruit is produced at the back of the at d, on a very 
short seta, so as to be easily porte among the fronds; the ealyptra 
is densely hairy. 
The apex of the frond or branch is sometimes broad and subtru 
eate, at others narrowed and obtusely rounded; in the latter case the 
whole branch has the appearance of a microscopic Harts-tongue 
ern 
The only New Zealand 7 at all likely to be confused with it is 
Catagonium politum (Hook. f. & W.), which apart from the fruit 
inay at times very closely resemble it. That species, however, is nearly 
ing in the present plant. The fruit of the Catagonium is longly 
Sie aie uite different, but both species are most commonly 
found sterile. 
