97 



Dr. M. A. Howe, some dried, some in formalin, the latter answering well to their local name 

 of "Noah's Ark Trees". As was fitting, we seiected from these the types of our f. brevifolius 

 (fig. 184) and f. longifolius (fig. 187). 



The most remarkable specimen of R. phoenix that we have seen was collected in 

 Florida by Rugel and is in the British Museum (fig. 1S8). It is characterised by the great 

 length of its stipes (15 cm.) and of its comal flabellules (4.8 cm. long). Though nearly twice 

 as long as any other specimens known to us, it is nothing but an overgrown lanky example 

 of our f. longifolius, differing only in size and laxity, the result of long-continued apical growth 

 under favourable conditions. The tapering filaments of the flabellule diminish to about 55 u. 

 towards their apices. Further remarks on this plant were made in Journal of Botany XLIII 

 1905, p. 4. 



The flabellular filaments of A'. phoenix are so slender that to this species we are 

 inclined (see p. 85) to refer Lamouroux's Nesea eriophora (Hist. Polyp. Corall. Flex. 181 6. 

 p. 257), described as having filaments "déliés comme des filamens de laine". There is in Herb. 

 Mus. Brit. a specimen of R. phoenix (Herb. Samuel Dale) in which the flabellular filaments 

 are bleached white, and by rough usage have become partly decalcified and dishevelled, giving 

 the appearance of soft fine wool answering to the description of N. eriophora. Lamouroux at 

 that time (1816) had never seen an actual specimen of R. phoenix, as is shown by the asterisk 

 placed before Ncsca Phoenix (op. cit. p. 256). He had only seen Ellis and Solander's figure. 



The present species exhibits an interesting affinity with two other genera - Udotea 

 and Tydemania — in the fact of possessing calcified monostromatic flabella. In U. javensis 

 (fig. 36) and in U. glaucescens, when young, the flabellum is solitary and terminal on the 

 monosiphonous stipes. In Tydemania expeditionis (fig. 154) the flabella arise in single or 

 doublé pairs from one or more basal nodes on the monosiphonous main axis. In Rhipocephalus 

 phoenix the flabellules are arranged in pseudo-verticils around the rhachis, forming a capi- 

 tulum; they are terminal on branches from the filaments of the compound stipes. 



The geographical distribution of R. phoenix is confined to the West Inches. 



2. Rhipocephalus oblongus Kützing 



Species Algarum 1849. p. 506. 

 Syn. Penicillvs oblongus Decaisne Mém. sur les Corallines in Ann. Sci. Nat. 2de sér. torn. XVIII. 

 1842. p. 109. 

 Rhipocephalus oblongus J. G. Agardh Till Alg. Syst. V. 1887. p. 62, 65. 

 Rhipocephalus oblongus De Toni Sylloge Algarum I. 1889. p. 504. 



Hal'. ATLANTIC. Bahama, (sub "-Penicillus Lamourouxü Doe" j n Decaisne's hand-writing), Herb. 

 Mus. Paris ! — Banc de Bahama, (sub " Nesea penicillus var.") Herb. Chauvin\ and Herb. 

 Lamouroux \ — Bahamas, Bemini Harbour, in 3 — 8 dm. of water, low tide, with R. Phoenix 

 &c. Howe, n° 3235! — Bahamas, Berry Island, Lignum Vitae Cay, Howe n" 3647! 



Stipes penetrating to about 3 / t of the capitulum (rarely excurrent at apex), variable in 

 length, generally 4 — 6.5 cm., about 6 mm. wide, sometimes terete, with more or less smooth, 

 calcified surface, minutely pseudoporose under microscope. 



Capitulum green, sometimes bleached, up to 5.5 cm. long, and 1—3 cm. broad, having 



SIBOGA-EXPEDITIE LXII. 13 



