( 144 ) 



be merely an abnormal condition of the fruit of that genus ; so anoma- 

 lous indeed is the fructification, that Professor Harvey was slow to con- 

 sider it other than abnormal, but as no other was observed, and that 

 appeared to be constant to the species, a new genus was consequently 

 formed for its reception. 



In structure and habit it is closely allied to several other species of 

 Callithamnion, the jointed fibres that occupy the interior being common 

 to more than one species of the genus, so that the difference in the 

 fructification is almost the only one characteristic of the new genus. 



It is to be hoped that this interesting plant may be found more 

 generally distributed than it has hitherto been supposed, and that its 

 close resemblance to several species of the genus Callithamnion may 

 have caused it to be overlooked. 



It would prove a great benefit to science if collectors would all 

 become observers ; we have often to regret that specimens from cor- 

 respondents have nothing but the name attached, and that we at times 

 require to change. It is indeed the only particular which we coxild easily 

 supply, whereas many interesting facts connected with the occmrence, 

 duration, or appearance of the sj)ecies, which would be of the greatest 

 value, can only be recorded by the collector, and can rarely be obtained, 

 by any amount of study, from herbarium specimens. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE CXVIL 



Fig. 1 . — Seirospora Griffithsiana, natural size. 

 2. — Portion of a branch. 

 3. — Branchlet witli tetraspores. 

 4. — Tetraspores from same. All magnified. 



