252 



5. Laurencia chondrioides nov. spec. 



Frons csespitosa, axibns teretibus, flexuosis, crassitudine varia- 

 bili, plerumque ca. 350 // crassis, irregulariter quoqueversum 

 pinnatim ramosis, interdum suboppositis; ramis brevioribus et 

 longioribus intermixtis, intervallo ramorum variabili. Kami mi- 

 nores et ramuli clavati, basi attenuata, apice obtuso. 



Tetrasporangia in superior! parte ramulorum apparent; lat 

 tetrasp. = 80^. 



Fig. 243. Laurencia chondrioides n. 

 spec. Part of the thallus. (About 6:1). 



Fig. 244. Laurencia chondrioides n. 

 spec. Transverse section of the thal- 

 lus. (About 100:1). 



The plant forms tufts about 6 cm. high. The slender thallus 

 is terete and of variable thickness, often tapering slightly and again 

 increasing several times (Fig. 243). 



It is about 350 // thick. 



The ramification is very irregular. The branches issue on all 

 sides sometimes with short, sometimes with long intervals ; some- 

 times they are nearly opposite. Shorter or longer branches occur 

 intermingled. 



The branches ramify again once or twice. The smaller bran- 

 ches and the ramuli are narrowed at their base, increasing gra- 

 dually upwards to above their middle and then tapering slowly 

 to the obtuse summit. 



The central axis is fairly distinguishable in the younger parts 



