479 
(17) 
* Tortulaceae. 
The treatment of this group by Mitten in his “ Musci Austro- 
Americani ” is far from satisfactory. It has seemed best, however, 
to follow him in this as in the other families. Duplicates of these 
were not sent to Dr. C. Muller, as they had not been carefully 
studied nor compared at that time. Later M. Bescherelle had a 
set of them, and made one or two comparisons for me with Mon- 
tagne’s types at the Jardin des Plantes. It will require more study 
and comparison with a more modern treatment of the family, 
before the specimens listed can be thoroughly understood. 
Tortulci ( Trichostomuni) contortifolium Mitt.? Unduavi, 8,000 
ft. October, 1885 (3126). 
There were no specimens of this species at Kew; hence these 
specimens were named only from the description on page 147 of 
Mitten’s Musci Austro-Americani. They were shown to Mitten 
and sent to M. Bescherelle, but should be compared with Spruce, 
“ No. 213, Andes Quitenses, Chimborazo (10000 ped.)” 
Tortula ( Trichostomuni) semivaginatum Sch. mss. in Herb., no. 
1618. Mandon, Plantae Andium Boliviensium. De Capanuta 
a Songo, 18 Obr., 1857, in Herb. Schimper. Vicinius So- 
rata, April, 1858, in Herb. Hooker. Near Yungas, 4000 ft., 
1885, in Herb. Rusby, no. 3128. 
Plants 2-3 cm. high, dark below, red-brown above; stems 
simple or branching by subapical innovations 1-2 cm. high; 
leaves curled and twisted when dry, spreading when moist from 
an erect, glossy clasping base, the lanceolate blade 2 mm. long, 
suddenly bent and contracted from the hyaline base, 1 mm. long, 
upper cells small, dense and with thickened irregular walls and 
small, blunt papillae, decurrent at the margins a short distance on 
each side of the clasping base, vein large, yellow, ending in the 
acute apex. Dioecious? Perichetial leaves smaller,with a longer, 
more sheathing base. Pedicels 5-15 mm. long, twisted in two 
directions ; capsules 2-3 mm. long, straight, cylindric, smaller at 
the mouth; lid with a long curved beak, annulus large, falling 
with the lid; peristome fragile, pale, papillose, teeth long and 
slender, thickened and united at the basal joints, not twisted. 
Closely related to T decolorans Hpe., from which it differs in 
its larger size, longer, more spreading and clasping leaves and paler 
not twisted peristome. 
