Art. XXXIX.—On New Zealand Mosses.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 29, 1896, Page 441

Art. XXXIX.—On New Zealand Mosses. By T. W. Naylor Beckett, F.L.S. [Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 4th November, 1896.] Plates XXIV.-XXVI. Tortula petriei, sp. nov. “a congeneribus foliis late flavolimbatis facillime dignoscenda,” Broth. Plate XXV. Synoicous, in dense patches, stems short, 0.3in. long, simple or dichotomously branched. Leaves at base of stem small oblong ovate, above ovate-lanceolate tapering gradually to apex, upper part near apex finely but irregularly serrate, olive-green; border continuous from base to apex consisting of long blunt-ended cells, 0.0037 to 0.004 wide, orange-yellow; nerve rufous, stout, excurrent in a short stiff mucro; cells at the base rectangular, yellowish, gradually merging into small roundish hexagonal opaque chlorophyllose cells. Seta nearly 1in. long, red, smooth; capsule 0.2in. long, cylindric, slightly curved, smooth, reddish-brown. Peristome, tube dull-red, obscurely tessellated, 0.06in. long, teeth one-third length of tube. Operculum and calyptra not seen. Male inflorescence mixed with female; paraphyses numerous, clavate. Hab. Kelly's Hill, Westland; collected by Mr. D. Petrie. A very handsome species, well marked by the very striking yellow border to the leaves. Zygodon mucronatus, sp. nov., “a Z. menziesi proximo foliis nervo exeedente mucronatis differt,” Broth. Plate XXVI. Synoicous, in small cushioned tufts. Stems 0.3in. long, fastigiately branched, fuscous and radiculose at base. Leaves when moist patent, ovato-lanceblate, stout, margins flat entire; nerve brown, very strong, excurrent, in a stiff mucro; cells at base rectangular, above roundish or oval hexagonal. Perichætial leaves like the leaves, but smaller and less dense. Seta 0.1in. long or more. Capsule when dry furrowed, broadly oval; mouth small. Peristome single, of 8 bigeminate blunt obtuse teeth; operculum short, conic, apex slightly inclined. Calyptra not seen.

Hab. On bark of Myoporum lætum, near the sea, Kaikoura; December, 1889. T. W. N. B., No. 504. Determinedly Dr. V. F. Brotherus. Grimmia mutica, Hampe. “Laxe pulvinata, rufo-fusco-nigricans, fere uncialis; caulis adscendens, basi nudiusculus, superne dense-foliosis, sterilis cuspidatus, fertilis clavatus; folia sicca appressa, humida recurvato-patentia, carinata, margine reflexo, nervo ad apicem producto, ovato-lanceolata, obtusiuscula, mutica; cellulis sub-rotundis minimis densioribus, fusco-lutescentia, vel opaca, perichætialia latiora erecta; theca deoperculata ovato-elliptica immersa brunnea; dentibus peristomii lanceolatis subintegris ferrugineis.”—“Linnæa,” 1859–60, p. 631. Hab. On exposed rocks, Ben More, Canterbury; T. W. N. B., No. 509: on boulders in river, Waimate, South Canterbury; T. W. N. B., No. 497. Determined by Dr. V. F. Brotherus. Macromitrium (Goniostoma) weymouthii, Broth. “Gracile, prostratum, intertexum, læte viride, demum ferrugineum; caulis longe repens, vage ramosus, ramis densissime ramulosis, ramulis brevibus, strictis vel curvatulis, dense foliosis; folia sicca adpressa, apice incurva spiraliter contorta, humida erecto-patentia oblongo-lanceolata, acuta, marginibus inferne plus minusve revolutis, integerrimis, nervo lutescente, infra apicem evanido, cellulis basilaribus elongatis, valde incrassatis, lumine angustissimo, supra medium folii rotundatis, valde incrassatis, lumine minutissimo, omnibus pellucidis, lævissimis; braeteæ perichætii erectæ, majores acuminatæ; seta erecta, curvato-flexuosa, 8–15mm. alta, lutea, lævissima; theca erecta, ovalis, evacuata ore plicata, microstoma, badia; peristomium simplex; exostomii dentes infra orificium orundi, breves, grisei, papillosi; operculum rostratum, rostro dimidiam partem thecæ vix superans; calyptia sordide lutea, apice ferruginea, glabra. Patria: Tasmania. “A M. scottiæ, C. Müll., proximo foliis acutis nervo infra apicem evanido nec non cellulis minoribus prima scrutatione differt. An M. scottiæ, Mitt., Austr. Moss. e Tasmaniâ?”—V. F. Brotherus, “New Species of Australian Mosses,” in Ofversigt af Finska Vet. Soc. Föhr, Helsingfors, 1895. Hab. On trees, junction of Bealey and Waimakariri Rivers; altitude, 2,040ft.; T. W. N. B., No. 329: determined by Dr. Brotherus. On trees, Little Kowai River, Mount Torlesse; T. W. N. B., No. 394. Macromitrium eucalyptorum, C. Müll. and Hampe. “Monoicum Macromitrium tenui simillima sed folia caulina angustius lanceolata acutiora glabriora ad basin minus con-

cavium paulisper revoluta, perigonialia margine basilare denticulata; theca brevius pedunculata oblonga minor (nec cylindrica). In truncis Eucalyptorum putrescentibus, Bunyip Creek, Nova Hollandia.”—“Linnæa,” 1853, p. 500. Hab. On trees, Kowai Bush; T. W. N. B., No. 252 B: determined by Dr. Karl Müller. Common on trees (and rarely on rocks?) throughout the islands. Syn. M. microphyllum, Hook. and Grev., in Fl. N.Z., but not M. microphyllum, Bridel; M. barbatum, Mitt., MSS. Specimens from Dunedin, in Mr. W. Bell's herb., are thus named by Mr. Mitten. Leucobryum brachyphyllum, Hampey. “Laxiusculo cæpitosum; caulis breviusculus ramosus; folia brevia stricta oblongo-lanceolata vix falcata apice (cellulis dorso valde prominulis) valde serrata basi vix marginata; perichætialia sub-breviora caulinis similia stricta vel sub-undulata maxime serrata, intima lævissima longiora cuspidata e basi usque fere ad apicem lato-marginata longiora subexserta integerrima; theca lateralis longepedunculata obconica cernua exacte strumosa ore dilatata operculo longirostrato obliquo purpureo instructa brevis olivacea.”—“Linnæa,” xiii.; C. Müll., Syn. i., p. 76. Hab. Herekino, extreme north of Auckland peninsula; collected by D. Petrie; No. 595: determined by Dr. Brotherus. Found in New South Wales and Queensland. Bartramia pomiformis (L.), Hedwig. Hab. Maungatui, near Dunedin; Kinloch and Mount Alfred: W. Bell. Determined by Dr. Brotherus. This common European and North American moss was found in Fuega, Straits of Magellan, and its occurrence in New Zealand is most interesting. Mielichhoferia eckloni, Hornsch. Hook., Fl. Tasm., ii., 189. Hab. Kelso, Otago; November, 1891: D. Petrie: determized by V. F. Brotherus. Pine Hill; November, 1890: Roxburgh; February, 1891: and Kinloch; January, 1891: in Herb. Bell: determined by V. F. Brotherus. Mniobryum tasmanicum, Broth. Plate XXIV. “Dioicum; cæspitosum, cæspitibus elatis, laxiusculis, mollibus, pallide glauco-viridibus, haud nitidis; caulis ad 8cm. usque altus, erectus, flexuosus, ruber, inferne fusco radiculosus, innovando ramosus, innovationibus gracilibus usque ad 3cm. longis, laxe foliosis; folia patentia, innovationum patula, omnia subæqualia, subplana, breviter decurrentia, lineari-lanceolata, acuminata, acuta, c. 3mm. longa et 0.47mm.-0.53mm. lata,

marginibus ubique erectis e medio ad apicem argute serrulatis, haud limbata, nervo tenui, basi c. 0.05mm. lato, infra apicem evanido, cellulis elongatis, angustis in medio folii 0.175mm.-0.225mm. longis et 0.015mm. latis, omnibus subæqualibus, leptodermibus, lævissimis. Cætera ignota. Patria: Tasmania, Mount Wellington: W. A. Weymouth. “A M. albicanti (Wahl.), proximo foliis angustioribus, anguste acuminatis, e medio ad apicem argute serrulatis nec non cellulis multo longioribus et angustioribus, prosenchymaticis optime differt.”—V. F. Brotherus, “New Species of Australian Mosses,” part ii. Hab. Pine Hill, Dunedin; in Mr. W. Bell's herb.: determined by V. F. Brotherus. I am indebted to Mr. Weymouth, the original discoverer of this moss, for authentic specimens, from which my figure has been drawn. “Lembophyllum, Lindb., n. gen. antarcticum, Hypnum vagum, Hornsch.; H. divulsum, H. f. and W.; H. clandestinum, H. f. and W.; H. cochlearifolium, Schwægr et aff. includens, statim differt ramis e rhizomate erectis, arcuatodecurvatis, irregulariter pinnatis, foliis patentibus, quam maxime cymbiformi-concavis, angulis fere semper excavatis, raro apiculatis, nervis binis vel subnullis, cellulis angularibus distinctis, ceteris vulgo oblique seriatis, valde incrassatis, ovalibus prosenchymaticis, bracteis perichætii luteis, binervibus vel subenervibus, cellulis angustis et valde incrassatis.”—S. O. Lindberg, Contrib. ad fioram cryptogamam Asiæ boreali-orientalis (Helsingfors, Acta Soc. Sci., fennicæ x. (1872), p. 277). The following New Zealand species must be placed in this new genus:— Lembophyllum cochlearifolium (Schw.), Lindb. Hypnum cochlearifolium, Hook. and Wils., Fl. N.Z., ii., p. 111. L. clandestinum (H. f. and W.), Lindb. Hypnum clandestinum, H. f. and W., Fl. N.Z., ii., p. 111. L. chlamydophyllum (H. f. and W.), Lindb. Hypnum chlamydophyllum, H. f. and W., Fl. N.Z., ii., 111. L. vagum (Hornsch.), Lindb. L. divulsum (H. f. and W.), Lindb. L. micro-vagum, Beck., in Trans. N.Z. Inst., 1893, xxvi., p. 275. Amblystegium sarmentosum (Wahlenb.), De Not. Hab. Kelly's Hill, Westland: D. Petrie, No. 135. Determined by V. F. Brotherus. D. Brotherus remarks that this is a very interesting

species, which in no way differs from Lapland specimens. It is new to the Australasian flora. Hypnum cuspidatum, L. Hab. Pelichet Bay, Otago; May, 1888: in Herb. Bell. Determined by Dr. Brotherus. Another northern moss now first recorded in New Zealand. Fissidens vittatus, H. f. and W., in H. Tasm., ii., 167. Hab. Strath Taieri, Otago; March, 1888: in Herb. Bell. Determined by Dr. Brotherus. A Tasmanian moss not hitherto recorded in New Zealand. Explanation Of Plates XXIV.-XXVI. Plate XXIV. Miniobryum tasmanicum. Fig. 1. Leaf, X 32. Fig. 2. Apex of leaf, X 70. Fig. 3. Cells and edge of leaf, X 270. Fig. 4. Leaf of innovation, X 32. Plate XXV. Tortula petriei. Fig. 5. Plant, nat. size. Fig. 6. Leaf, X 32. Fig. 7. Lower leaf, X 32. Fig. 8. Apex of leaf, X 70. Fig. 9. Cells from base of leaf, X 70. Fig. 10. Cells, centre of leaf, X 270. Fig. 11. Cells of border and edge of leaf, X 270. Fig. 12. Peristome, X 32. Plate XXVI. Zygodon mucronatus. Fig. 13. Plant, nat. size. Fig. 14. Leaf, X 32. Fig. 15. Apex of leaf, X 270. Fig. 16. Cells at edge of leaf, X 270. Fig. 17. Cells at base, X 270. Fig. 18. Perichætial leaf, X 32. Figs. 19 and 20. Capsules, X 32. Fig. 21. Tooth of peristome, X 270.