1925] Setchell-Gardner : Melmiophyceae 567 



relatively wide, tapering at the base to a small, distinct, almost cylin- 

 drical connecting stipitate portion, and rounding at the apices; the 

 branches exceedingly abundant in the juvenile stage, and all densely 

 clothed at the apices and along the margins with acute hairs, the main 

 terminal hairs with profuse opposite branching. 



Growing in tide pools in the lower littoral and upper sublittoral 

 belt. Kodiak Island, Alaska, to southern California (La Jolla). 



Lamouroux, Essai, 1813, p. 25 ; Kuetzing, Tab. Phyc, vol. 9, 1869, 

 pi. 100 ; Pease, P.S.M.S. Publ., vol. 1, 1917, p. 389 ; Ibid., vol. 2, 1920, 

 p. 340, pi. 54, fig. 3, pi. 60, figs. 1-5. Desmia herbacea Postels and 

 Ruprecht, Illus. Alg., 1840, p. 13. Desmarestia ligulata var. herbaceo. 

 Collins, Holden and Setchell, Phyc. Bjor.-Amer. (Exsicc), no. 19b. 

 Desmarestia ligtdata Farlow, Anderson and Eaton, Alg. Exsicc. Amer.- 

 Bor., no. 166. Fncus herbaceus Turner, Hist. Fuc, 1809, pp. 77, 78, 

 pi. 99. 



The exact locality from which the material forming the type of the 

 species of D. herbacea was collected is not known. Turner {loc. cit.), 

 says, "North-west coast of America. Mr. Menzies. " There is much 

 variation in the size of the fronds as they occur along our coast. 

 Turner says, "two feet or more long." We have seen specimens two 

 and a half meters long. Some specimens, apparently mature, from 

 La Jolla and from Pacific Grove, California, in our herbarium are 

 almost as narrow as the specimens from San Juan County, Washington, 

 which we have referred to D. ligulata. Other specimens approach very 

 nearly to the narrow forms of I), niimda as we have limited that species. 

 However, the typical and abundant specimens are quite distinct from 

 either of these species. They are midway between the two species as 

 regards the number and character of the branches. Typical plants 

 also show distinct, often heavy, lateral veins, at least on all the broader 

 axes. 



8. Desmarestia munda S. and G. 



Plate 89 

 Fronds attached by a firm parenchymatous disk, ligulate, relatively 

 rigid and coriaceous, up to 8 m. long, 4—10 cm. wide, glossy yellowish 

 brown in color, sparingly branched at maturity ; midrib prominent in 

 the stipe and lower parts, becoming very inconspicuous or appearing 

 only as a mere nerve above ; branches usually of 2 but in part 3 orders, 

 the largest primary branches arising near the base at times as long as 

 the central rhachis, and even wider in part, tapering rather abruptly 



