396 University of California Publications in Botany [Voh. 8 



with 3-4 of the upper cells showing longitudinal septa, 24/x diam., 

 slightly attenuate toward the point of attachment, rays 4-9 celled, 

 tapering slightly, if at all, towards the tip ; zoosporangia and game- 

 tangia unknown. 



Growing on various algae. Alaska (Sitka) to southern California 

 (Redondo). 



Setchell and Gardner, Phyc. Cont. VII, 1924, p. 1. 



Sphacelaria fusca Collins, Holden and Setchell, Phyc. Bor.-Anier. 

 (Exsicc), no. 1693, 1910 (not of Agardh). Sphacelaria cirrhosa 

 Saunders, Alg. Harriman Exp., 1901, p. 419 (?). 



Sphacelaria sudfusca might ordinarily be referred to S. fusca 

 (Huds.) Ag., to which, undoubtedly, it is closely related. It differs 

 from S. fusca in its basal portion, in its much lower stature, smaller 

 diameter, and in certain details of structure of the propagula. In the 

 last, the stalk tapers little and the rays are barely perceptibly atten- 

 uated toward their apices. In addition, the occurrence of frequent 

 bifurcate, along with the trifurcate, propagula, so characteristic of 

 8. fusca, leads us to consider our plant as a distinct species. It is 

 intermediate between S. fusca (Huds.) Ag. and 8. furcigera Kuetz. 

 While we have not seen Saunders' 8. cirrhosa from Annette Island, 

 his description of its habit corresponds so well with that of a specimen 

 from Sitka, that we refer it here provisionally, 



5. Sphacelaria furcigera Kuetz. 



Plate 37, fig. 29 



Erect filaments a few millimeters (up to 5 mm. or perhaps more) 

 high, forming small tufts, arising from short, closely intertwined 

 creeping filaments often also penetrating the host, sparsely branched, 

 with lateral and subterminal hairs, the latter, at times, pushing aside 

 the terminal cell and taking its position; joints with 1-3 primary 

 vertical partitions, 16-30ju, (in ours, but up to 45/*, fide Sauvageau) 

 in diameter and up to 50/* or more high; hairs abundant, few-celled 

 (4-6), cells 10-14/* wide, up to 50/* long; propagula slender, bifurcate 

 with an umbo between the rays, stalk with 6-9 joints, the upper with 

 2-3 vertical partitions, slightly attenuated below, about 20/* diam. ; rays 

 with 5-8 cells, not at all attenuated toward the apices ; zoosporangia 

 spherical (fide Sauvageau), 50-70/* diam., short (1 cell) pedicellate; 

 gametangia (fide Sauvageau) of 2 sorts, antheridia, cylindrical, 45-65/* 

 long, 24-28/* wide, with loculi about 3/* diam. and oogonia more 

 irregular, 30-45/* (up to 60/*) long, 28-40/* broad, with large loculi. 



