Polysiphonia.] ALGyE RHODOSPERMEjE. 20? 



Filaments rising from a mass of creeping fibres, tufted and in- 

 terwoven, short, very slender, flexuose, sparingly and irregularly 

 dichotomous, more or less furnished with very patent or re- 

 curved simple ramuli ; articulations variable in length, bi-striate ; 

 capsules urceolate, very large (in proportion to the diameter of 

 the filament), scattered. 



On rocks and Alerae in the sea ; probably not uncommon. At Port- 

 stewart ; Mr. D. Moore. Miltown Malbay ; W. H. Harvey. Tufts 

 dense, intricate, about an inch in height; composed of very slender, 

 capillary, flexuose filaments, brownish-red. I have long known this 

 species "on the western coast, but have hitherto feared to introduce it. 

 It resembles P. urceolata or P. patens in miniature, but is of a very 

 flaccid substance, and not one-fourth the size of either of those species ; 

 and is, moreover, well distinguished by the very large size of the cap- 

 sule in proportion to the diameter of the filament. Like P. stricta, 

 and several exotic species, the stems rise from a mass of interwoven 

 fibres. 



9. P. urceolata, Grev. Pitcher-fruited Polysiphonia. Fila- 

 ments rigid, cartilaginous, much branched, loosely entangled ; 

 branches dichotomous, erecto-patent ; middle articulations 4 — 5 

 times longer than broad ; capsules with a produced contracted 

 neck, shortly pedunculate. Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. v. ii. p. 330. 

 — Conf. urceolata, E. Bot. t. 2365. 



On rocks and the larger Algae. Closely allied to the following, 

 from which it chiefly differs in its less squarrose ramification. 



10. P. patens, Grev. Patent Polysiphonia. Filaments car- 

 tilaginous, sparingly branched, entangled, beset with short, pa- 

 tent, recurved ramuli, bistriate ; middle articulations 2 — 3 times 

 longer than broad ; capsules with a short contracted neck, sub- 

 sessile. Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. v.'n. p. 330. — Conf. patens? 

 Dillw. Hutchinsia urceolata, Lyngb. Hydroph. Dan. t. 34. 

 (excellent.) 



On the stems of Laminaria digitata, common. Stems subsimple, 

 entangled, dull red. Ramuli revolute. 



* * Articulations multistriate. 



f Rigid ; stria 3, ramuli spinceform. 



11. P. parasitica, Grev. Parasitic Polysiphonia. Filaments 

 slender, rigid; branches alternate, distichous, bi-tripinnate ; 

 pinnulae alternate, erect, spinaeform ; articulations as long as 

 broad, three tubed. Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. v. ii. p. 330. — 

 Conf. parasitica, E. Bot. t. 1429. 



On the larger Algaa and on rocks, not uncommon. Bantry bay ; 

 Miss Hutchins. Kilkee ; and under " the Black Castle," Wicklow, 

 very fine. 1 — 2 inches high, full red, slender ; delicately and beauti- 

 fully bi pinnate. 



