Laing. — On New Zealand Species of Cerarniaceae. 401 



pinnae very thickly pinnate, the pinnules simple ; (c) simpli- 

 cipilum, the branches rather laxly pinnate, the pinnae filiform, 

 elongated. 



Distribution. — Common on the east coast of the South Island, 

 and probably elsewhere in New Zealand. Auckland and Camp- 

 bell Islands (Harv.) ; Macquarie Islands (A. Hamilton) ; Aus- 

 tralia, Fuegia, Falklands, Kerguelen, &c. 



The minute structure of the plant has been described by 

 W. Archer in a paper read before the Linnsean Society on the 

 15th June, 1876. In every joint-cell of the plant there occurs 

 in the dissepiment a minute " pit," which is afterwards closed 

 by a " stopper." In a " sinus " placed laterally on the joint- 

 cells is formed a special cell, called by Archer a " ramification 

 cell," which is either pentagonal or hexagonal. This becomes 

 inflated towards the upper end. which is finally cut off by an 

 oblique septum, and this cell becomes the first joint of a simple 

 branch or subsidiary rachis. " The lower portions of the main 

 stems are covered all round by a single layer of thick-walled 

 elongated cells, mutually closely apposed, of variously irregu- 

 larly curved and crooked figure. . . . This cortical stratum 

 of cells somewhat resembles a kind of pleurenchymatous or 

 prosenchymatous tissue." The development of this tissue is 

 also traced back to ramification cells. The cortical cells them- 

 selves are also repeatedly dichotomous, and give rise to a con- 

 siderable portion of the accessory filamentous investment of the 

 plant. Many of the filaments, however, are developed from 

 subsidiary ramification cells, or from cells adjacent to them. 

 For a full understanding, however, of the complicated structure 

 of the plant reference must be made to Professor Archer's paper. 

 I have given this very short account of its development, how- 

 ever, as it seemed to me that the generic description of Schmitz 

 given above was perhaps somewhat misleading. 



2. Ballia scoparia, Hook, and Harv.. Lond. Journal, iv., p. 173 

 ( = Callithamnion scoparium, Fl. Nov. Zel. ii., p. 259. Ballia 

 scoparia, J. Ag., Epicr., p. 59 ; Harv., Phyc. Austr., t. 168. 

 Rhodocorton parkeri, Harvev-Gibson. Journ. of Bot., 1893, 

 p. 161). Plate XXX., fig. 1. 



Thallus 10-20 cm. high ; frond spreadingly branched, with 

 branches coming off in all directions and covered on all sides with 

 fasciculate decompound appressed ramuli. The stem and root 

 similar to that of B. callitricka, stupose. The terminal pinnules 

 near the apices of the fascicled ramuli, subsecund, acuminate, 

 and furnished with 2 or 3 lateral spines. The sporangia are 

 terminal on the pinnules, or lateral and subsecund, cruciately 

 divided. Joint-cells about half as long again as broad. 



26^Trans. 



