HYPOPTERYGIACEAE. 297 
this is the one character given in the Handbook on which any reli- 
ance can be p ye (The length of the lid is certainly of no value, 
as I have specimen of H. rotulatum with quite stout setae showing 
the beak of the lid fully equalling the capsule in length). I have 
therefore classed oceanicum as a variety, based on this character 
al 
Mitten has determined the identity of H. Scottiae C.M. with his 
H. discolor 
E viridulum Mitt. is a very doubtful plant. Mitten’s specmen 
at Kew certainly include two species, one referable to H. ae- 
siclandine. and one I think to H. rotulatum. The only characte of 
any importance given by Mitten is the monoicous inflore 
character which does not seem to have been confirmed by ary inter 
author, and I think extremely doubtful. Kindberg makes it a sub- 
species of H. soviet: seelandiae, scarcely, however, separated by any 
intelligible characters. 
HT. rotulatum eid to be widely distributed in the Islands. 
INCERTAE SEDIS, &e. 
H. ciliatum (Hedw.) Brid. = Catharomnion cilatum. 
. Balantii C.M. was oe d from a specimen grow wing on a 
cultivated plant of Balantium. Its New Zealand origin is doubtful, 
described in Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxi, 44, each from a single stem picked 
out from among ai mosses, a condition on which it is hardly safe 
to base a new species, even if the characters were more marked than 
appears from the descriptions. These species should certainly be 
allowed to drop 
RHACOPILACEAE. 
Ruacopitum P. Beauv. Prodr., p. 36 (1805). 
This Family has been usually p ee near Hypopterygiaceae, 
through the gap cee of the dorsal eaves here and the amphigastria 
: 1 affini 
io 
rather —— It is placed by Fleischer between Orthotrichaceae 
and Fontinalace 
The di "aes between the New Zealand species—exeluding R. 
robustum—appear to me very slight and inconstant, and can only 
be given in comparative terms. 
Robust; dorsal leaves es age to the lateral in 
form, an most as lar, 4. robustum 
1 Moderately robust to slender; dorsal “leaves much 
mal narrower than the lateral, very 
sarroate acuminate, with oe saa t 
arista an 
2 { Leaves tapering a on ack we ic 3. laetum 
Some leaves at least subobtuse, eae at points... won ee oe 
Robust, seta very stout; calyptra very hairy hi strumiferum 
3 { More slender; seta thinner; calyptra auals hairy 2. cristatum . 
