(6) 



Description. — Root of numerous branching fibres. Fronds tufted, 

 four to eight inches long or more, about half a line in breadth, linear, 

 more or less compressed, and somewhat two-edged, much branched dis- 

 tichously ; branches irregularly alternate, sometimes secund, patent or 

 erecto-JDatent, ultimate ramuli in series of three or mostly four, pectinato- 

 secund on the upper edges of the branches, short and subulate, curved 

 upwards. Structm-e cellular, solid ; central cells large, roundish oblong, 

 smaller towards the surface, where they are minute and coloured. 

 Substance cartilaginous, imperfectly adhering to paper. Colour, a bright 

 transparent crimson, not changing when dry, passing into pale orange, 

 and ultimately into a dirty white in decay. Tubercles spherical, sessile, 

 often abundant, lateral on the branches. Stichidia also common, simi- 

 larly situated, at first simple, oblong, often at length two to three times 

 dichotomovisly divided ; the apices entire, emarginate or forked, with 

 two to four transverse rows of roundish oblong, transversely zoned 

 tetraspores, imbedded in then* upper part. 



This beautiful though common plant, a great favourite with collectors, 

 is the only British representative of a genus which finds its greatest 

 development in the southern hemisphere, and which is formed of plants 

 as remarkable for the beauty of their form as the brilliancy of their 

 colouring, and all agreeing in the peculiar arrangement of the ultimate 

 ramuli, a peculiarity which adds much to their beauty. 



The present species is widely distributed, and is one of the commonest 

 weeds on all our shores, occasionally found in deep tide-pools near low- 

 water mark, but generally in deeper water, and only found in profusion 

 among rejectamenta after heavy gales. Both kinds of fruit are abvmdant, 

 and the species is veiy constant to its characters, diff"ering only in size 

 and the degree of ramification. In these particulars, however, there is 

 great variation, specimens being at times met with which would not find 

 ample room on a quarto page, while in others the size has dwindled down 

 to such pigmy dimensions, that the aid of the microscope is necessary to 

 show the identity of the species. Even in the larger varieties so great 

 dissimilarity is found in the habit fi'om the great difference in the 

 number and length of the branches, that one finds some difficulty in 

 being convinced that more than one species is not included under the 

 name. 



The variety (3 uncinata is the' most remarkable, and were it not 

 that so many intervening forms occur, and that the recurvation of the 

 branchlets is by no means constant, we would feel strongly tempted to 

 distinguish this as a species. Its place of growth is also remarkable, 

 growing as it does on rocks almost level with the sand, which partially 

 covers them, about half -tide level. In such places we have found it 



