Ser. Ciilorosfermeje. Fam. Siplionaccm. 



Plate XVII. 



CAULERPA SCALPELLIFORMIS, Ag. 



Gen. Char. Frond consisting of prostrate surculi rooting from their lower 

 surface and throwing up erect branches, or secondary fronds, of 

 various shapes. Substance horny-membranous, destitute of calcareous 

 matter. Structure unicellular, the cell {frond) continuous, strength- 

 ened internally by a spongy network of anastomosing filaments, and 

 filled with semifluid, grumous matter. Fructification unknown. — 

 Caulerpa (Lamour.), from tcavXos, a stem, and epwco, to creep. 



Frons ex surculis prostratis hie illic radicantibus et ramis ereclis polymorphis 

 formata. Substantia corneo-membranacea. Structure/, unicellulosa, cellulce 

 membrand continud liyalind intus filis cartilagineis tenuissimis anastomosan- 

 tibus firmata et endochromate denso viridi repleta. Fr. ignota. 



Caulerpa scalpelliformis ; surculus slender, glabrous ; frond erect, shortly 

 stipitate, linear-lanceolate, inciso-pinnatifid ; rachis broad and flat- 

 fish; pinnee alternate, knife-shaped, subacute, incurved. 



C. scalpelliformis ; surculo gracili glabro ; fronde erecta breve stipitata lineari- 

 lanceolata inciso-pinnatijida ; jugamento lato applanato ; pinnis cultriformibus 

 alternis subacutis apice incurvis. 



Caulerpa scalpelliformis, Ag.Sp. Alg. v. 1. p. 437. Ag. Syst. p. 181. Kiitz. 

 Sp. Alg. p. 496. Endl. 3rd Suppl. p. 16. Harv. Alg. Exsic. Austr.n. 549. 



Fucus scalpelliformis, R. Br. in Turn. Hist. t. 174. 



Hab. On rocks, just below low-water mark. Rottnest Island and King 

 George's Sound, West Australia. Fremantle, Mr. Clifton. Port 

 Phillip, W. H. H. South Australia, Dr. Mueller and Dr. Curdie. 

 Sealer's Cove, Gipps Land, Dr. Mueller. In the Tamar, V.D.L., 

 Mr. Eenty. 



Geogr. Distr. West and south shores of Australia. Indian Ocean, at Madras, 

 Br. Wight ! Yemen, Herb. Mont. ! 



Descr. Surculi 3-6 inches long, half a line to a line in diameter, simple or 

 slightly branched, rooting at subdistant intervals, quite glabrous, glossy, 

 shrinking, and often furrowed when dry. Fronds several from each sur- 

 culus, erect, half an inch to an inch apart, 4-12 inches long, about half an 

 inch or rather more in width, linear-lanceolate in outline, sometimes con- 

 stricted in the middle, terminating a stipes of half an inch to an inch in 

 length ; simple, or rarely forked. Each frond consists of a broad, thickened 

 rachis, 2-3 lines wide, closely pectinato-pinnated with alternate, linear, 

 incurved, subacute, piano-compressed, two-edged, knife-like ramenta 2-4 

 lines long, and about a line in width, issuing at an acute angle, the axils 

 also being acute. Substance flaccid when recent, horny-membranous and 



