97 



adds that he thinks that the plant which KUTZLXG in Tabulse 

 Phycologicse, vol. 8, pi. 38, fig. I has figured as G. lapidescens 

 might correctly be considered as this species. However, it seems 

 to me, the figure (pi. 21, fig. g) of ELLIS and SOLANDER gives a 

 very good idea of the plant and I think it is more correct to 

 take this the first published figure of the plant, as the type 

 of the species. In spite of this I do not mean that the figure 

 of KUTZING in question would not also represent a form of 

 this species 1 ). An examination of the original material of 

 ELLIS and SOLANDER would of course be the most conclusive but 

 as mentioned in my introductory remarks to this genus the type 

 specimens do not now 

 seem to exist. 



All the specimens I 

 have found are much ra- 

 mified, forming large d en- 

 se tufts (Fig. 102). These 

 are fastened to the sub- 

 stratum by means of a 

 broad disc from which 

 several branches often 

 arise. These branches are 

 repeatedly subdichoto- 

 mously ramified. The 

 internodes are cylindric Fig. 102. Galaxaura lapidescens (Sol.) Lamx. 

 of variable length, some- Part of a P lant - < About ^ : li- 



t/lines they are more than 



1 cm long sometimes shorter. In the middle of the thallus the 

 diameter of the branches without hairs reach a length of about 



J ) As on account of this fact it seemed to be of great importance 

 to examine the two plants upon which KUTZING based his draw- 

 ings of Galaxaura lapidescens and Galaxaura tomentosa I asked M m 

 WEBER to allow me to investigate a little bit of the two plants in 

 question which as said by KUTZING both originate from Mexico. 

 At my request she greatly obliged me by sending a small piece, 

 enough for microscopical examination, of Galaxaura tomentosa originat- 

 ing from Mexico, but she told me at the same time that in the Herb. 

 KUTZING belonging to her there was no specimen of Galaxaura lapi- 

 descens from Mexico. Having examined the piece of Galaxaura tomen- 

 tosa I arrived at the conclusion that this plant of KUTZING is like 

 Galaxaura Liebmanni (Aresch.) Kjellm., described as Holonema Lieb- 

 manni 4 years earlier by ARESCUOUG in "Phycese novae", 1854, 

 p. 356. 



7 



