Transactions of the Royal Society of New Zealand (Volume 25)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893 Excerpt: ...of Three New Species. By Eobert Brown. Bead before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 7th September, 1892. Plates XXXI. (in Part) to XXXIII. During the year 1882, having been engaged in botanizing on the Port Hills, from the lighthouse at the Heads to Cooper's Nob at the opposite end of the harbour, and on the plains round Christchurch as far as the banks of the Eiver Waimakariri, amongst a number of new mosses then discovered by me were three which could not be placed in any of the existing genera, they, however, being most nearly related to Encalypta, yet differing from that genus in their having a short, stout, straight beak, instead of a long, slender, straight beak, while the calyptra, instead of being inflated as in that genus, closely encloses the capsule, and is confluent at the base. Since these two generic characters are the very opposite to those of Encalypta, these plants cannot be very well placed in that genus without seriously disturbing the accepted generic characters; consequently it becomes necessary that a new genus should be created to receive these mosses. Acting on the advice of a friend, I took no steps in this matter at the time for creating a new genus, fearing that the above-mentioned mosses might prove to be examples of some foreign genus not represented in the New Zealand flora; however, since this has proved to be not the case, I have brought this subject before the. Institute to-night, and propose to name the new genus after the late Eodger Kennedy, Professor of Botany at the Andersonian University, Glasgow, my late admirable teacher and esteemed friend. Hennedia, Gen. Nov. Annual or perennial plants. Capsule erect or inclined, ovate or ovate-oblong, symmetrical, narrowed towards the mouth. Operculum short, stout, conic...