the Britijh Fuci, with particular Defer ipt ions of each Specie*. 189 



Radix callus craffus — Frons purpurea, fub-cartilaginea,ramofiflima; 

 Tarlat longitudine 2 — 6 uncialis et ultra —Rami primarii filiformi- 

 comprefli, opaci, inordinatim pofiti, in alios ramos ramulofquc 

 compreflbs, fub-diaphanos, fupra-decompofitos dividuntur — RamuVt 

 terminales oppofiti, patentes, modo fubulati dentati, nonnunquam 

 fimplices, fsepius fpinis mollibus fubulatis pinnati funt — Frucllfi- 

 catio, tubercula globofa, pedunculate, atro-purpurea, in ramulis 

 fupremis fita, matura quadrifariain dehifcentia. 



If this fpecies cannot rival coccineus in brilliancy of colour, it is 

 far fuperior in the elegant form of its ramifications, giving it the 

 appearance of a beautifully branched feather, which fumciently dif- 

 tinguifhes it from all in the fame divifion. 



It varies fomewhat in different fituations, and, when the extreme 

 ramuli are more diftant than ufual, fomewhat refembles fome of 

 the varieties of corneus. It may nevertnelefs always be cttftinguifhed 

 by the form of the main branch and its fub-divifions, which are 

 always between filiform and comprefTed, of a darker colour than 

 the reft of the frond, and opake ; whilft in the narrow varieties of 

 corneus, they are flat, alike in colour, and have always fome degree 

 of tranfparency. 



This plant varies extremely in fize. On the fouthern coaft it 

 rarely exceeds three inches in height, and is frequently much 

 fmaller, as reprefented by Dillenius in R. Syn. — In Scotland it rifes 

 often to fix inches or more, as has been obferved by Mr. Lightfcot ; 

 and w T e have fpecimens now before us gathered at Scarborough, 

 which are full fix inches in height. 



The ingenious author of the Flora Scotica has well defcribed the 

 fructification, except that the tubercles before burfting appear to 

 us to be rather globular than oval. 



Aeon- 



