HYPNACEAE. 329 
about May to July, ee this may be a variable character, as it 
certainly is in R. laxatu 
In addi tion to nie a New Zealand localities cited in the 
original publication, I have it from the North L., coll. R. Brown ter., 
and also from ‘‘ Sydney, Rev. Collie,”’ unnamed in Mitten’ s 
herbarium. 
4. Rhynchostegium fragilicuspis Dixon sp. nov. 
ibus generis, caespites densiusculos, sat rigidos, laete 
ad medium folium versus attingens; cellulae superiores perangustae, 
parietibus subinerassatis, pellucidis; alares plures, subquadratae, 
auriculas are excavatas instruentes. 
Cetera ig 
Hab. Great tee 1. 3 May, 1922; W. Gray (7). 
The generic position, in the absence of fruit, is somewhat 
doubtful. “The small size, habit and somewhat well-marked though 
Mee a group of alar cells su ggest Rhynchostegiella; Dr. 
owever, is incline at to think it a Rhynchostegium, and 
| ‘tiave placed it here prowidicaially: It is quite distinct in the very 
pale, glossy green patches, with the narrow, entire leaves rigidly 
suberect and hardly altered when dry, and the points very frequently 
broken off. 
_[Rhynchostegium elusum (Mitt.) Jaeg. Adumbr. ii, 436. 
Syn. Hypnum elusum Mitt. in Handb. N.Z. FL, p. 478 
(1867). 
have examined the type of this at Kew (N.E. Valley, Otago, 
New Zealand, Hector, 1862), and it proves to be a ae closely 
interwoven mixture of Eurh muriculatum, with a few stems of 
Rhynch. laxatum, both in fruit, and so closely Bigg t one another 
that I found it practically impossible sg separate — cept under 
the microscope, when the smooth seta and the reolation revealed 
the Rhynchostegium. This explains Mitten’ s site as ‘‘ having the 
appearance % H. muriculatum, from which its smooth fruit stalk 
distinguishes it.’’ 
elusum is therefore a ‘‘eomposite’’ species, and must dis- 
appear. ] 
HYPNACEAE. 
(For Key to sub-families see p. 304 above.) 
Sub-family PLAGIOTHECIAE. 
Stems usually short and abe ecg ied piece not pinnate, nor 
very mages _Leaves usua lly more or less ompla nate, sometimes 
secund 0 ting upward, the titer sbliguety inserted a nd asym- 
metrical ; “Guecnirred or nerveless. Seta smooth. Lid usu conica. 
