Autoica. Flos ♂ parvus, complanatus, pluries in caule infra florem ♀ positi. Vaginula ochreata, epilosa. Theca immersa vel peristomiis extra perichaetia exsertis, ca. 1·8 mm. longa, madida estriata, oblongo-elliptica, sicca angustiora, cylindrica, 8-costata per totam longitudinem, stomatibus paucis ad supificiem in medio theca positis. Seta ca. 0·5 mm. longa. Exothecii cellulae parietibus non multo incrassatis. Peristomium duplex, dentes externi pulcherrime rosei, 16, intime bini conglutinati, aliquando in medio plus minusve rimosi, deinde ad basi secedentes, primo erecti, mox eleganter recurvi, apicibus capsulam tangentibus. Endostomii processus 16, basi 30μ lati, alborosei, marginibus irregulariter projectis, interdum hic illic confluentes. Opercula paulo altiora quam lata, rostro breve, valido, erecto. Calyptra campanulata, pallida, ca. 1·2 mm. longa vel ultra, ramentulosa, leniter plicata, margine sinuata vix lobata. Spori ca. 25μ diametro, viridi, tenuiter papillosi, aliqui minores fulvique.

Hab.: On shrubs, Bull Creek, Milton, south of Dunedin: K. W. A. 13/9/46. On low shrubs, chiefly Carmichaelia, in open gully near Milton: K. W. A., 10/1/47. No. 996. Type. On old fruit trees in sheltered orchard near Allanton: K. W. A. 13/1/47. No. 995. Amongst Orthotrichum tasmanicum, Mount Cook: G. O. K. Sainsbury, February, 1947.

This moss was submitted to Professor Bartram, of America, by Mr. Sainsbury to ensure that it was not a Northern Hemisphere species. He writes: “This certainly has every appearance of being an undescribed species. The only logical comparison would be with O. graphiomitrium, from which it differs widely.” It is similar in habit and appearance to O. hortense and O. cyathiforme (though usually larger than the latter species) and grows in association with these two. It can be separated, however, by the rosy-coloured peristome teeth, 16 rather broad endostome teeth, which is double the number in the above species, by the practically naked calyptra, and by the acute leaves.

It is named after Mr. Sainsbury as a well-deserved tribute for what he has done, and is still doing, for bryology in New Zealand and Australia.

The green or greenish-yellow cushion-like clumps grow on shrubs and are darker below and inside, with more or less tomentose stems. The leaves change little in drying, being imbricated and erect, but have more recurved margins. When wet, the leaves are spreading, linear-lanceolate, from a wider oval base, acute or acuminate, the margins recurved but not bordered, above entire, sinuate or minutely serrulate with papillae. The nerve is wide and yellowish, prominent and papillate below and disappears in the apex. The upper and marginal cells are 12–15μ in diameter, opaque on account of the rather high papillae, rounded or oval, with greatly thickened pellucid walls, the inside basal cells being larger, narrowly oval or oblong and clearer, the lowest of all being golden.

The male flowers are small and flattened, borne on the stem below the capsule. The vaginula is not hairy, but at its top has a distinct ochrea or sheath of hyaline tissue surrounding the base of the seta. The capsule is usually completely immersed or may have the peristome