T. H. BUFFHAM ON REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE FLORIDE.E. 263 



yellowish tint, with the cells containing the antherozoids forming 

 its surface. It tapers towards its extremity where two or three 

 yellowish bare cells of the axis appear. The general resemblance 

 of a branchlet to the antheridium of certain Polysiphonice* will 

 be apparent (fig. 18, x 100). I gathered the male plant at 

 Folkestone two months later (April). 



The antheridia of that very beautiful plant Polysiphonia byssoides 

 Grev. are oblong-ovoid, and, being borne in tufts on the fine 

 ramuli, are — unlike those of other species of this genus — seen all 

 over the plant. The cells containing the antherozoids are loosely 

 placed round the axis so that the joints of the latter can be readily 

 seen. Amongst the antheridia were the cystocarps more or less 

 intermixed on different branches of the plant found. (Sidmouth, 

 Aug., 1884.) At the same time another plant with tetraspores 

 had also antheridia amongst the asexual organs, which is a rare 

 combination. 



P. obscura Ag. is a very minute creeping plant, the antheridia 

 of which are found in the usual position. They are tapering (not 

 mucronate), strongly curved, the cellules densely arranged. (Sid- 

 mouth, Aug., 1886.) 



Very similar are these organs in P. fruticulosa Spreng. 

 {Rytiphlaia fruticulosa Harv.), only that they are decidedly 

 mucronate, the axial fibre projecting in some cases to a length 

 equal to that of the antheridinm itself. (Sidmouth, Aug., 1886.) 



The male organs in the foregoing genus are sometimes so obtru- 

 sive that they may be discerned by the unassisted eye, but this is 

 not at all the case with that common plant Dasija coccinea Ag., 

 and it is another instance where they have so seldom been detected 

 by reason of their inconspicuonsness. The male plant, however, 

 does differ in habit, for the coloured monosiphonous filaments 

 which terminate the branches form dense corymbose tufts, and of a 

 paler tint than the barren plant. The antheridium consists of an 

 outgrowth from all but the two or three basal and the four to six 

 terminal cells of the monosiphonous filament, which thus becomes 

 invested with a layer of colourless cellules. With a power of 100 

 these are seen to be densely placed upon the original cells of the 

 filament, and although these cells have not the vivid rose colour of 

 the uncovered cells, the pale pink tint is faintly perceived through 



* In my former paper (loc. cit., p. 343) P. elongata should be P. 

 nigrescens Grev, 



