278 BRYOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 
Fabronia australis. Hook. Musc. Exot., t. 160 (1818-1820) ; Fl. NZ. ii, 
98; Handb, N.Z. Fl,, p. 456. 
yn. Fabronia octoblepharis Knight in ne N.Z. Inst., viii, 
312 (1875). F. antarctica Par. Ind., Suppl., p. 154 (1900). 
The history of this species in New Zealand is remarkable. Hooker 
described his species from specimens collected by Menzies, St. 
: a : : 
plant as ‘‘ F. octoblepharis n. s.’’ without any reference to any other 
publication or plant ; the only locality he gives is ‘‘on humid rocks,’’ 
where no doubt ‘‘ Wellington” is to be supplied, as in other cases 
European species—almost the type of the genus—apparently, how- 
ever, without reference to, or knowledge of the northern m 
Paris quite naturally, in view of F. octoblepharis Schwaegr., 
altered Knight’s name, re-naming the moss F. antarctica. No speci- 
mens of Knight’s appear to be present in any of our British collec 
with P. Saati Whether, Put ever, the New Zealand ss nt is actu- 
ally distinct from the European F. octoblepharis Schwaegr., is open 
to _ e doubt. I have ocki'y unable to detect a single point of differ- 
and am strongly inclined to think it will have to be united with 
bee 
Southern hemisphere; it is extremely probable, however, that some 
of the South African and South American species may turn out to 
The outline of the leaf and its marginal soothing, the strength 
of the nerve, vary ery greatly in species of ‘Fabr ronia, vet a 
specimens has convineed me that there - is no constaney in this; and 
indeed the description of the leaves in the Handbook as ‘‘ovate or 
ovate-lanceolate’’ negatives such an idea. 
Hooker in the original description of F. australis characterizes the 
lid as flattish ; I find it, however, distinctly apiculate, and quite as in 
FF. octoblepharis Schwaegr. It is to be noted that the lid in this genus 
is often plano-convex when moist, but becomes conical-apiculate on 
j pean 
- It oceurs in both Islands, and is scared not gat gues but on 
aveoukt of its small s size may have been overlook 
