VI. Drepanophyllum. This genus has been proposed by Professor Richard for the reception of a very singular moss, Drep. fulvtim which he found growing on trees in the woods of French Guyana. The species is dioecious, the male and female plants differing much in aspect. Mouth of the capsule naked. A thin upright membrane arises from the irmer side of the mouth of the capsule. The operculum is depressed at the summit. The stern erect, Hexuous,branched. The leaves bifarious, scymetar shaped, arising alternately from the anterior and posterior sides of the stem ; the nerve running along the lower margin. Colour of the leaves lemon-yellow.
Notwithstanding the singularity of the habit of this moss. there seems to be no technical character at present known to separate it from Gytnnostomum. Before see ing the mouth of the capsule (Masc. Exot. t. 12.5.) it was supposed by both Schwaegrichen and Hooker to belong to the bifariously-leaved Dicrana.
VII. Anictangium. Fruitstalk terminal. Alouth of the capsule naked. Cal) ptra mitt iform.
Contains two British species, of which Anict. ciliatum is a very common moss, of a hoary aspect, with the cap sule immersed; occurring upon rocks and stones, at a lower elevation than the hoaly Trichostoma, with diapha nous points to the leaves; and Anict. imberbe is peculiar to Ireland. France possesses another species, Anict. lapponicum. Germany, Anict. aquaticum ; other two species, natives of New Holland and South America, are figured in the Musci Exot. and we have received speci mens from North America of two species different from any of these.
VIII. Schistostega. Fruitstalk terminal. Mouth of Viii. Schistostega. Fruitstalk terminal. Mouth of the capsule naked. Lid laciniated. Laciniae deciduous.
This genus, first defined by Hedwig, contains only one known moss, Schist pennata, which has been only once found in Britain, in a particular spot in Devonshire, by Mr. Newberi y. It is Gymnostomum osmundaceum of E. B. v. xxxi. t. 2213. a minute plant, having much re semblance in habit to Dicranum bryoides.
12, garding this genus we transcribe a note from Bridel : " Schkur, a most acute investigator of mosses, intent only on truth, has shown that Hedwig erred greatly in the observatkm, description, and representation of the oper culum of this moss. Fur Heclwig described and figured those delicate Striae, radiating from the centre to the circumference, with which the operculum is adorned, as fissures, by which the operculum splits into a great many parts, (a circumstance which might possibly occur in a solitary instance.) instead of falling oft' entire, as in other
mosses. Weber stod Mohr, induced by so great an au thority, and even affirming that they- themselves had ob served the same cii curnstance, formed for it the new genus Schistostega, so named from the split operculum. But Schkur, having long and pertinaciously scrutinized the capsule of this moss, found that it is in no other manner reticulated, nor does it separate in any other manner than in other mosses, though he confesses that it is very tender and fugacious. The' dove nature her self sets aside the genus Schistostega ; and that name will remain in muscology only like Trentepohlia—a proof that the best observers may easily fall into eiror, if they examine nature carelessly, or with a prejudiced mind." Without going quite so far as Bridel in regard to this the authorities at present in its favour are Hedwig, Weber, and NIohr, " all most acute investiga tors, intent only on truth," while against it is quoted only Sclikur, yet we own that we should not be much sur prised were the genus to be reduced, and the only spe cies of it to be known hereafter by the name of Gym noyomum pennattun.
IX. Hedwigia. Fruitstalk lateral. AIoutli of the capsule naked. Calyptra dimidiate.
As thus defined, the genus is altogether exotic. In Musc. Exot. four species are figured, of which one is indigenous to the Carinthian Alps ; one to Teneriffe ; and two to tropical America.
X. Lyellia. Capsule plane on the one side, convex on the other. Its mouth closed with a (thick, depressed) membrane, of which the circular disc, separating from the (broad) peisistent lirrib, remains attached to the per manent included Colurnella. Calyptra hood-shaped, (or dimicliate,) hairy on the summit.
This genus, defined by Mr. Brown, contains only onc species, Ly. crispa, gathered by the Hon. Col. Garner, in Nepal. In the membrane covering the mouth of the capsule, it is totally unlike any other known moss ; yet in gcneral aspect it has several points in common with Dawsonia, Polytrichum, and Buxbaumia.