260 "^^E BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. [Voi. xxx. No. 35-,. 



Rhodophyllis capensis Kutz. 



Spec. Alg., p. 786.— Id.: Tab. Phyc. XIX, Taf. 50. 

 =Rhodymenia nigricans Harv. : Ner. Austr., PI. 46. 



A well-distinf^iiishcd species of RhodophvUis Ijv the frond 

 beautiful purple while living, and turning into dark chocolate- 

 purple or almost black on drying. The plant is pretty common 

 along the Pacific coast of middle Japan. 



Locality. Boshu Prov. (F. Sugiyama) ; Shima Prov. (!); Kii 

 Prov. (!). 



Distribution. Soutli Africa. 



Laurencia distichophylla J. Ag. 



Spec. Alg. II, p. 672.— Id. : Epicris, p. 650.- De Toni : Syll. Alg., 

 lY, p. 800, 



=L. botrychioides Harv.: Flor. Nov. Zcl., p. 234.— J. Ag.: Epicris, 

 p. 657. 



There are about dozen species of Laurencia ever reported to 

 occur in Japanese waters. It appears to me much more number 

 to be added to the list and some of the reported .species require 

 amendment if carefully revised. It is not easy task to work 

 over the material of Laurencia even those at my disposal, as 

 the specific limitations of this genus are as uncertain as it might 

 be. I have, however, to inform the present species to occur on 

 our coast with utmost certainty. 



J. Agardh observed that L. botrychioides Harv. might have 

 Ijcen a young form of L. distichophylla J. Ag. In pointing out 

 the difference betAveen them he says : — " Prcccipicua differentia 

 ill pinnulis supernc dilatatis, crenulato-multifidis potius qucim 

 iterum pinnelatis." An authentic specimen of L. botrychiodes 

 Hakv. in the Agardhian Herbarium appears indeed to be regarded 

 as a stunted or young form of J. Agardh's species. Still the 

 difference pointed out by him should not be neglected so far as 

 the specimens are concerned. In Harveys's specimen the pinnules 

 on a pinna arc of equal length, giving linear out-line to a pinna. 

 Hence, the plant resembles to ix. slender form of L. concinna 



