176 NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN MARINE ALGjE, ii., 



motion of the water. Examples of complete plants received later 

 showed that the plant has the habit of the smaller species of 

 Sphacelaria. 



Diameter of rami to -10//. On examining specimens of F. 

 vagabunda and F. rufolanosa in Harvey's Alg. Austr. Exsicc, 

 the diameter of the rami of the former reached 36// at most, 

 that of the latter 27//. 



Our form seems to he much stouter than F. rufolanosa, which 

 it closely resembles in habit, and to be rather stouter than F. 

 vagabunda, which has a much denser habit and occurs in smaller, 

 non-distinct globes. The true Australian forms are all much 

 slenderer than F. Hillebrandii of the Atlantic and Mediterra- 

 nean (60-70//). 



F. olens is of a dull red colour when living, and gives a beauti- 

 ful rose-colour to the superincumbent water in which it is kept. 

 On drying from formalin, it becomes a brownish-purple, by no 

 means so brown as the mounted specimens of F. vagabunda. 

 Drying naturally it is quite red. F. rufolanosa dries a rosy red. 



Great quantities of this weed, called locally the Red Weed, 

 were brought in by the sea at Port Macquarie, and collected 

 disastrously in heaps on the oyster beds. It seemed to decompose 

 rapidly, evolving much gas and giving out a vile stench. In 

 consequence, the oysters were killed and great damage was done 

 to the local industry. Nothing is known of the habitat in which 

 the plant grows, but it seems to be certain that it must grow on 

 water plants in fairly deep water. The plague occurs at irregular 

 intervals, not appearing every year. Since the Red Weed 

 obtrudes itself so forcefully on the public notice, it seems useful 

 to give it a scientific name. 



Falkenbergia vagabunda (Harv.) Falk., was collected by 

 Harvey at Eaglehawk Neck, Tasmania, free floating in the waves, 

 and by J. Bracebridge Wilson off the Victorian Coast adhering 

 to other algie. F. rufolanosa (Harv.) Falk., was found growing 

 on other plants in King George's Sound, W.A. It is interesting 

 to meet with an Eastern Coast representative of this singular 

 genus. 



