In the first section (Section A), of which D. tasmanicum is the typical plant, the capsules of the different species become differentiated from the type until they assume the wide mouth and turbinate form of the genus Blindia. Those specimens having this latter particular form of capsules are provisionally placed among the Dicranums, as, unfortunately, I have not been able to obtain all those parts which are necessary to accurately locate the species; but I note as a most important fact that some of them have the leaves, habit, and locale of Dicranum whilst possessing the capsules of Blindia.

I have had great difficulty in determining which genus to place some of the present mosses in, whether in Dicranum or Blindia, the differences between the two genera being so slight; the former having ovate to cylindrical capsules and the peristome united at the base, the latter having turbinate capsules, and in the peristome the teeth are free to the base.

In my own opinion it would be better to have added a new genus than to put mosses with ovate capsules into Blindia; but, as this has been done, and many of my plants touch closely on the border-land between the two genera, I have provisionally placed them all in the genus Dicranum, leaving their ultimate position to be decided when fuller and. more correct information regarding these plants has been obtained.

In the “Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute,” vol. xxv., p. 298, Mr. Beckett has identified a moss, specimens of which were given to him by me, and collected near the Waimakariri glaciers—D. rupestre (? Blindia) of this paper—as Blindia robusta, Hampe, and has added a description of that moss. He is in error as to the identification. Blindia robusta is larger, the leaves are not so sharply secund nor so closely imbricating; the sheathing-base of the perichsætial is longer, the capsule longer and narrower, but, above all, B. robusta is a monœcious plant, having the male inflorescence on separate branches, and its habitat in swampy ground, whilst D. rupestre is diœcious, and has its habitat on rocks.

He has also in the same publication—vol. xxvii., p. 403— identified D. colinum of this paper, found by me in Stewart Island, with B. tenuifolia, and has added a description of that moss. He has made some mistake here, for, on reference to his figures of B. tenuifolia (specimens of which he obtained from Mr. Weymouth, of Hobart) and mine of D. colinum, it will be seen they do not agree. I have not been able to make a comparison of B. tenuifolia with D. colinum, as I have never seen any specimen of the former.

I find one of the new species, D. rostratum, is very closely allied to D. tasmanicum, the leaves being apparently identical,

2. Dicranuam pusillum, sp nov.

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Plants small, slender, gregarious, growing in loose, patches, yellowish-green, about ⅛in. high. Stems nearly simple, branching by innovations. Leaves small, spreading, inserted all round the stem, upper ones secund, linear-lanceolate, tapering to a slender point, falcate. Margins entire, concave. Nerve continuous to the apex. Areola quadrate, larger below, nearly erect, slightly crisp when dry. Perichætial leaves, innermost nearly a half shorter than the outer, sheathing at the base, oblong, linear lanceolate, tapering into a slender point, concave. Margins entire. Nerve continued to the apex. Fruitstalk terminal, erect, bright-red, from 3/16in.—5/16in. long. Capsule small, erect, ovate. Mouth as wide as the capsule. Peristome single, 16, bifid for about one-third of the length, united at the base. Operculum oblique, conico-rostrate, as long as the capsule. Calyptra cucullate, reaching the base of the capsule.

Hab. Damp calcareous banks near Broken River. Collected by R. B.; March, 1891.

3. Dicranum variabile, sp. nov.

Plants small, growing in dense patches, ½in. high, dark-green. Stems nearly simple, branched by innovations. Leaves small, inserted all round the stem, erecto-patent, subulate from a broad erect sheathing oblong or ovate base about half the length of the leaves, semi-convolute. Margins and back of the leaves papillose. Nerve concolorous, ending near the apox. Upper areola dense, quadrate; lower oblong. Margins and upper half of leaves incurved when dry. Perichætial leaves erect, otherwise similar in form and size to those in the middle and upper portion of the stem. Fruitstalk terminal, nearly erect, ⅝in. long, bright-red. Capsule oblong-ovate, variable in size. Peristome 16, bifid to near the middle, and perforated. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Damp calcareous banks near Broken River. Collected by R. B.; March, 1891.

4. Dicranum erecto-thecum, sp. nov.

Plants growing in large dense patches, 1in.—1 ½in. high, pale-green above, nearly white below. Stems slender, erect, fragile, branching by innovations. Branches few, fastigiate. Leaves inserted all round. Stems erecto-patent, recurved or suberect, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, semi-convolute. Margins entire. Nerve ending below the apex. Upper areola small, dense. Leaves crisped when dry. Perichætial leaves erect, shorter and narrower than the upper ones, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, semi-convolute. Margins entire. Nerve ending below, the apex. Fruitstalk terminal, ⅝in. long, nearly erect, red. Capsule erect, narrow ovate. Peristome, single, small,

16, irregularly bifid for one-third of their length, and irregularly perforated. Operculum oblique or nearly straight, stout, conico-rostrate, shorter than the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Limestone rocks, Weka Pass, Canterbury. Collected by B. B.; November, 1886.

This plant grows in situations similar to D. tasmanicum, and is rare.

5. Dicranum schreberi,* Hedwig, Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 411.

6. Dicranum cockaynii, sp. nov.

Plants grown in dense patches, congested with brown fibrils below, darkish-green above, from ½in.-2in. high. Stems nearly simple, branching by innovations. Branches few, slender, erect. Leaves inserted all round, spreading or erecto-patent, flexuous, subulate from a broad erect oboval sheathing-base, about one-third of the length of the leaves, semi-convolute. Nerve scarcely discernible in the subulate portion, papillose on margins and back. Upper areola small, dense; lower oblong, crisped when dry. Perichætial leaves erect, subulate from a broad sheathing-base, papillose on the margins and backs. Fruitstalk terminal, ½in. long, red. Capsules ovate. Peristome single, 16, bifid for one-third of their length, united near the base. Operculum oblique, conico-rostrate, shorter than the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Limestone rocks, dripping with water, head-waters of the River Conway, near Palmer's Pass. Collected by R. B.; February, 1894.

7. Dicranum debilum, sp. nov.

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Plants small, gregarious, yellowish, 3/16in. high. Stem slender, sparsely branched. Leaves inserted all round the stem, erecto-patent, subulate from a broad erect sheathing-base half the length of the leaves, concave. Margins entire. Nerve ending below the apex. Upper areola oblong; lower slightly larger, erect when dry. Perichætial leaves erect, about the same size as the upper leaves and similar in all other respects. Fruit terminal. Fruitstalk 3/16in. long, inclined. Capsule small elliptic. Peristome single, 16, bifid, for one-third of their length, united at the base. Operculum very oblique, conico-rostrate, as long as the capsule. Calyptra not found.

Hab. Calcareous Banks, Paterson's Creek, Otarama. Collected by R. B.; December, 1894.

8. Dicranum papillosum, sp; nov.

Plants growing large, in dense patches, yellowish-green above, from 1in.-1 ½in. high. Stems nearly simple, slender, congested with brown fibrils, branching by innovations.

Branches few. Leaves inserted all round the stem, erecto-patent, incurving, subulate from broad and sheathing, base, which is widely dilated at the apex, semi-convolute; subulate, portion of leaves about twice the length of the sheathing. Margins and back of leaves papillose. Nerve concolorous indistinct, ending below the apex. Upper areola small, dense; lower oblong, crisped when dry; Perichætial leaves erect, slightly larger than the stem ones, otherwise, very similar to them. Fruitstalk terminal, erect, red, ⅞in. long. Capsule ovate, slightly oblique. Peristome single, irregular, 16, bifid or trifid, and perforated. Operculum oblique, conico-rostrate, two-thirds the length of the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Limestone rocks, dripping with water, head-waters of the River Conway, hear Palmer's Pass. Collected by R. B.

9. Dicranum subulatifolium, sp. nov.

Plants growing in large dense tufts, from 2in.—3in. high, yellowish-green above. Stems nearly simple, erect, congested with brown fibrils, branching by innovations. Branches few, short. Leaves spreading or erecto-patent, incurving, inserted all around the stem, subulate from a broad sheathing oblong or obovate base; subulate portion of the leaves two and a half times the length of the sheathing-base, semi-convolute, papillose on the margins and back. Nerve concolorous indistinct, ending below the apex. Upper areola dense, small, quadrate; lower oblong, crisped when dry. Perichætial leaves slightly smaller than the upper ones, nearly erect, sheathing portion of the leaves longer and narrower than those of the stem, and the subulate portion shorter, in proportion to them. Fruitstalk terminal, erect, ½in. long, red. Capsule elliptical, symmetrical. Peristome not seen. Operculum oblique, conico-rostrate, shorter than the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Limestone rocks, dripping with water, head-waters of the River Conway.

10. Dicranum craigieburnensis, sp. nov.

Plants growing in tufts 2in. high, darkish-green. Stems nearly erect, sparingly branched by innovations. Branches few. Leaves inserted all round the stem, closely imbricating, erecto-patent or subsecund, lanceolate, tapering, shortly into a long slender point, slightly concave. Margins entire. Nerve stout, ending, at the apex, and nearly occupying all the upper portion of the leaf. Upper areola small, dense; lower oblong, crisped when dry. Perichætial leaves shorter than the stem ones, and the slender points shorter in proportion, innermost leaf smallest, ovate, lanceolate, with a slender point, nerved to the apex. Fruit terminal. Fruitstalk ½in. long, slightly flexuous. Capsule unequally ovate. Peristome single. 16,

irregularly perforated, and bifid or trifid. Operculum slightly oblique, conico-rostrate, longer than the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Wet limestone rocks, Cragieburn Range, near Castle Hill. Collected by R. B.; March, 1891.

11. Dicranum tasmanicum,* Hook, f., Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 410. Hab. On wet calcareous banks.

12. Dicramun tasmanicum(var. β.?)

Collected at Paterson's Creek, Otarama, by R. B.; January, 1895.

13. Dicramun laucifolium (Blindia?), sp. nov.

Plants growing in dense patches from ¼in. to ¾in. high, brownish-green above, brown below. Stems erect, nearly simple, branching by innovations. Branches short, erect. Leaves small, inserted all round the stem, closely imbricating, erecto-patent or occasionally spreading, ovate or oblong-lanceolate, obtuse, semi-convolute. Margins entire, slightly incurved. Nerve ending close to the apex. Areola dense nearly to the base; near to the base the cells are oblong. Leaves nearly erect when dry. Perichætial leaves erect, narrower, not so concave as the stem ones, and about the same length. Nerve ending close to the apex. Margins entire. Fruit terminal. Fruitstalk erect, red, ⅜in. long, with A fine spiral twist. Capsule erect, sub-rotund. Mouth wide. Peristome, operculum, and calyptra not found.

Hab. Wet calcareous banks, Weka Pass. Collected by R. B.; March, 1893.

14. Dicranum rostratum, sp. nov.

Plants growing in dense patches from ½in. to 1in. high, green above, brown below. Stems fastigiately branched. Branches short, leaves inserted all round the stem, erecto-patent, oblong-lanceolate, obtuse or subacute, slightly recurved, very concave. Margins entire, nerve ending, near the apex. Areola dense to near the base; close to the base they are oblong, crisped when dry. Perichætial leaves erect, ligulate, obtuse, slightly longer than the stem ones. Nerve ending below the apex, slightly concave. Fruit terminal. Fruitstalk erect; slightly flexuous, ⅜in. long. Capsule subrotund. Mouth wide. Peristome single, approximated in pairs, very irregularly bifid or tri-fid, and variously perforated. Operculum wide, conico-rostrate, twice the length of the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Limestone rooks in the bed of Paterson's Creek, Otarama. Collected by R. B.; January, 1895.

15. Dicranum gulliverii, sp. nov.

Plants growing in dense patches 1in.—1 ½in. high. Stems nearly simple, erect, branching by innovations. Branches few, slender, fastigiate. Leaves inserted all round the stem, imbricating, erecto-patent, straight, lower ones acicular, middle and upper ones ovate-lanceolate, tapering into a long slender point, longer than the lower portion. Margins entire. Nerve continuous, semi-convolute. Areola small, dense; lower oblong, without alar cells, nearly erect when dry. Perichætial leaves convolute, sheathing for two-thirds of their length, upper third subulate, nerved to the apex. Fruit terminal. Fruitstalk nearly erect or slightly flexuous, red, ¾in. long. Capsule ovate-oblong, slightly oblique, narrowing to the mouth. Peristome single, rather membranous, irregularly bifid, perforated or united. Operculum oblique, conico-rostrate, about half the length of the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Wet limestone rocks near Greymouth, West Coast. Collected by W. J. Gulliver; 1894. This plant is named after the finder.

16. D. gulliverii, var. β.?

17. Dicranum clintonensis, sp. nov.

Plants growing in tufts from ½in. high, brownish-green. Stems erect, branched by innovations. Branches fastigiate. Leaves inserted all round the stem, spreading from a short sheathing-base, then contracted into a stout subulate apex; upper portion of the leaf about one and a half times longer than the lower, semi-convolute. Margins serrated towards the apex. Nerve ending at the apex. Upper areola linear; lower oblong; crisped when dry. Perichættal leaves longer than the stem ones, with an erect, sheathing, convolute base, and the upper portion subulate, stout, spreading. Margins serrated towards the apex. Nerve continuous. Fruit terminal. Fruitstalk erect. Capsule broadly ovoid. Mouth wide. Operculum oblique, convexo-rostrate, as long, as the capsule. Calyptra not found.

Hab. Rocks, Clinton Glen, head of Lake Te Anau. Collected by R. B.; January, 1889. The peristomes of this plant were all destroyed by insects-before I had an opportunity, of drawing them.

18. Dicranum rupestre, sp. nov.

Plants diæcious, growing in dense tufts 1 ½in. high, of a brownish-yellow or bronzy colour. Stems slender, fastigiately branched. Branches short. Leaves inserted all round the stems, strongly, secund, circinate, middle ones shortly linear-lanceolate, tapering into a long slender point from four to five times longer than the base, sheathing, semi-convolute, upper

leaves are very long, erect, sheathing the fruitstalk to near the middle, and ending in a short toothed hair-point.

22. Dicranum speightii, sp. nov.

Plants growing in cæspitose tufts, 2in.—2 ½in. high, fulvous, sparingly branched. Branches fastigiate. Leaves inserted all round the stem, subsecund or erect; lower narrow, oblong-lanceolate, tapering into along slender convolute point toothed towards the apex, upper with a short subrotund base, shortly tapering into a long slender convolute point four times longer than the base, toothed towards the apex. Nerve continuous. Upper areola unaltered when dry. Perichætial leaves long, erect, convolute, sheathing, suddenly contracted into a very short toothed hair-point, outer leaf shorter than the inner one, the perichætial leaves being sheathed by several shorter ones, the sheaths of which become shorter and the slender points longer as they recede from the perichætial ones, until the sheathing base is subrotund. Fruit acrocarpous. Fruitstalk ½in. long. Capsule subcylindric, tapering towards the fruitstalk. Peristome single, 16, bifid for one-third of their length. Operculum oblique, conico-rostrate, as long as the capsule. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Rotten, wood, head of the South Fiord, Lake Te Anau. Collected by R. B.; December, 1888: named after B. Speight, M.A., B.Sc., Hon. Sec., Canterbury Philosophical Institute.

23. Dicranum fasciatum,* Hedwig, Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 412.

In this species the capsule -is but slightly gibbous, and the perichætial leaves are very long, erect, sheathing all the fruitstalk, then tapering into a slender toothed point, which projects above the capsule.

24. Dicranum fasciatum, var. β.

This moss is smaller in all the leaves, and the peristome very irregularly bi- or tri-fid or cohering or irregularly perforated.

Hab. West Coast. Collected by R. B.

25. Dicranum robustum,* Hook, f. and Wils., Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 411.

In this species the capsule is gibbons, the perichætial leaves are shorter than in the above species, erect, and sheathing the fruitstalk, ending in a short entire hair-point; and my specimens are nerveless.

26. Dicranum dicarpon.* Hornsch., Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 411.

In this species the capsule is slightly gibbous, and the perichætial leaves are very wide, erect, generally sheathing two or

more fruitstalks, nerveless or very indistinct, ending in an acute point or short hair-point.

Plants in which the Sheathing Portions of the Perichæetial Leaves are short.

27. Dicranum setosum,* Hook. f. and Wils., Handb. N.Z. Fl., p. 412.

In this species the capsule is gibbous, the perichætial leaves are snort, erect, sheathing for half of their length, then suddenly contracted into a toothed hair-point.

28. Dicranum fulvum, sp. nov.

Plants growing in tufts, fulvous, from 1 ½in.—2in. high, subdichotomously branched, fastigiate. Leaves closely imbricating, and inserted all round the stem, secund, tapering into a long slender point, from, a narrow ovate-lanceolate base, subconvolute, minutely toothed towards the apex. Nerve continued to the apex, occupying all the upper portion of the leaves. Upper areola small, subquadrate; lower linear, narrow-oblong, scarcely altered when dry. Perichætial leaves half as long as the upper ones, lower half erect, convolute, sheathing, upper half shortly tapering into a slender hair-point. Fruit terminal. Fruitstalk short, ¼in. long. Capsule inclined, ovate-oblong. Mouth as wide as the capsule. Peristome single, 16, bifid about a third of their length, the bifid portion unfolded, and remains so, wet or dry. Operculum not found. Calyptra cucullate.

Hab. Bush, West Oxford. Collected by R. B.; 1885.

29. Dicranum menziesii,* Taylor, Handbook N.Z. Fl., p. 412.

There is a clerical error in the Handbook description of this moss; it is described as “serrated at the base” instead of “at the apex.” The perichætial leaves are shorter than those of setosum.

30. Dicranum menziesii, var. β.

The capsule is more slender, and the operculum not so oblique. The sheathing-base of the inner perichætial leaf is also much longer.

31. Dicranum (?) obesifolitum, sp. nov.

Plants growing in tufts, pale-yellow, 5in. to 6in. high, subdichotomously branched. Leaves inserted all round the stem, spreading or erecto-patent, broadly ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, convolute, cucullate at the apex. Margins entire, nerved.

Hab. Rocky places, Kelly's Hill, Westland. Collected by R. B. I have only collected two specimens of this moss at