22 



THE MATiTNT-: ALft.T: OF OFERysET 



A enrions growth was o-atliered from a low-tide pool at 

 Albecq. The median parts of the filaments are beset with a 

 pi-olific number of downward growths. These descending 

 processes emerge from any part of the lilanient cell, two may 

 even be given oif from the same cell ; they are jointed, with 

 blunt tips, somewhat paler in colour and about | to 5 narrower 

 than the main branches ; they are straight at first, but become 

 wavy and ii-regular in their direction as length increases. 

 The noi-mal branching is pseudo-dichotomous. It is diificult 

 to decide the significance of these appearances, which have not 

 been observed before and mav l)e mei-elv the outcome of 



Fig. 5.- Bornefia aeciindiTlora Thiir. 



special conditions. The presence of colour and the form of 

 the extremities preclude the idea of rhi/.oids. The descending 

 growths have rather the appearance of runners or off-shoots, 

 which, after extending to a suitable, distance, may possibly 

 develop rhizoids and give off new plants. Sexual reproductive 

 organs have not been observed in this country ; it is possible 

 they occur during the \vinter months and have escaped 

 discovery. The development of ininners may, however, be a 

 method of propagation either supplementary to, or even 

 superseding, the sexual method. The fact that the plant 

 spreads in ever-increasing tufts over the surface of the rock 

 is in favour of this idea. 

 Mo^'OSFORA PEDiC'ELLATA Sol. {('.all ithamiiioii pediceUatum 

 Ag.). f. K. 9. \V. 1, -"i. On rocks. 



