Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/140

118 the perichætial leaves, whilst the true pedicel or seta remains wholly included in the vaginula. The calyptra hence continues attached to the vaginula for a much longer period than in other genera, and its rupture is occasioned by the distension of the theca; and not by an elongation of the seta. If a very young capsule be longitudinally divided, the seminal sac will be seen lining its interior, and also extending over the surface of the columella, the apex of the latter being attached to the summit of the operculum. The sporules, in a very early stage, are aggregated in fours, and long before the bursting of the calyptra attain a deep brown colour.

The inflorescence is usually, and perhaps invariably, monœcious, the male fructification being on separate branches; though A. mutabilis (nobis) appears really diœcious. Both kinds of flowers are, at first, truly terminal, though, owing to the rapid growth of innovations, especially on the male surculi, they soon become, to all appearance, lateral and even axillary. The male flowers, from their small size, are, in general, concealed by the cauline leaves. The antheridia vary in number, from one or two to seven, intermixed with paraphyses, which, however, have not been seen in A. mutabilis (nobis), and which that species probably wants. In the female flower the archegonia are generally four, never more, and are not accompanied with any paraphyses.

1. nitida, Hook. fil. et Wils.; caulibus suberectis laxe cæspitosis parce ramosis, foliis erecto-patentibus ovato-oblongis obtuse apiculatis concavis enerviis nitidis marginibus reflexis, perichætialibus paulo longioribus erectis. (. LVII. fig. III.)

. Lord Auckland's group; on rocks near the tops of the hills, at an altitude of 1200 feet; very rare.

Caules semi-unciales et ultra, crassiusculi, sub ½ una lati, hic illic divisi. Folia suberecta, conferta, imbricata, sublingulata, obtusa, summo apice apiculata, dorso convexa, subcarinata, margine superne apiceque subreflexa, puniceoatra, luce obversa rufo-brunnea, siccitate erecta, vis crispata; perichætialia subsimilia, sed longiora, tenera, marginibus planis, areolis minimis subrotundatis. Inflorescentia terminalis, dioica? Flores masculi gemmiformes, ovati, acuti, denique laterales, foliis caulinis dimidio breviores, foliis valde concavis ovato-rotundatis acutis occlusi; antheridia 6 aut plura, paraphysibus paucis filiformibus immixta. Flores fœminei: Archegonia quatuor, paraphysibus nullis. Pedicellus (seu pseudopodium) $1⁄15$ unc. longus, perichætii dimidio longior, v. rarius eo inclusus, apice (ad vaginulam propriam) incrassatus. Theca sessilis, parva, elliptica, nigro-fusca, 4-valvis, siccitate dilatata, ⅓ lin. longa.

A highly remarkable species, and quite unlike any hitherto described.

LVII. Fig. III.—1, a tuft, of the natural size; 2, branch and theca; 3 and 4, leaves; 5, a moist theca; 6, an archegonium:—magnified.

2. acutifolia, Hook. fil. et Wils.; caulibus fastigiatim ramosis, ramis apice ramulosis, foliis erecto-patentibus incurvis rigidis lanceolato-subulatis acutis v. ovatis longe acuminatis concaviusculis enerviis basi inæqualibus siccitate erectis, perichætialibus elongatis lanceolatis convolutis, theca subexserta.

. Campbell's Island; on rocks, barren.

Caules erecti, conferti, ramosissimi, ½ unc. longi et ultra, siccitate rigidi. Folia undique inserta, patentia, deinde incurva, ovata, acuminata, basi gibbosa, enervia, infra medium denticulata, siccitate subappressa, opaca, rufo-brunnea, juniora flavo-viridia v. rufescentia, areolis pellucido-punctatis moniliformibus; perichætialia submajora, lanceolata, erecta. Flores masculi gemmiformes, foliis ovatis concavis inclusi. Antheridia 4–7, paraphysibus filiformibus ½ breviora. Pedicellus perichætium vix superans. Theca parva, nigra, paulo exserta. Sporæ majusculæ, ferrugineæ.

This species may be distinguished from A. alpina by its narrower and much more acuminated leaves, which are of a paler hue, never shining, gibbous at the base; those of the perichætium do not differ materially from the cauline ones. The specific character and description are drawn up in part from Hermite Island (Cape Horn) specimens;