22 



EHODOMELACE^. v. 



(T. 



more or less abundant setaceous ramuli from a quarter to half an iucli in length and 

 mostly simple. RaiauU very narrow, fusiform, tapering much to the base and to 

 the acute apex. Conceptacles ovate, on the ramuli, mostly pedicellate. I have 

 not seen tetraspores on American specimens. Substance cartilaginous, tender. In 

 drying the plant adheres to paper. 



Apparently rare on the American coast. The few specimens which I have seen 

 have the essential characters of the European form, but are less luxuriant. 



Plate XVIII. F. Fig. 1, branch of Chondria tenuissima; the natural size. Fi 

 2, small portion with ramuli, rnag7iijied. 



.5. Chondria llttoralis ; frond robust, elongate, subdichotomous or irregularly 

 much branched; branches flexuous, attenuated, withi'ounded axils; ramuli scattered 

 or crowded, fusiform, attenuated to the base and apex, simple or pinnulated, acute. 

 Yar. ,8. ramuli very densely crowded, pinnate and bi-pinnate ; conceptacles ovate, 

 sessile, near the tips of the ramuli. 



Hab. On the Florida Keys. Abundant at Key West, near high-water mark. 

 W. H. H., Prof. Tuomey, (58, 59, &c.) (v. v.) 



Tufts very large and dense, often spreading over a considerable space. Fronds 

 twelve inches long or more, as thick as crow's quill or somewhat thicker below, 

 attenuated upwards, much and very irregularly branched ; the main stem once, t-\vice 

 or many times foi'ked, the arms spreading widely. Sometimes two, sometimes three 

 branches spring from each fork. Branches of unequal length, erect, flexuous, taper- 

 ing to the apex, either nearly naked or more or less abundantly furnished with 

 slender ramuli. The older parts are generally denuded, but in var. /3. all the 

 branches are densely beset with pinnato-multifid ramuli. Ramuli a quarter to half 

 an inch long, lineari-fusiform, much attenuated at the base, curved, tapering to an 

 acute or subacute point. Conceptacles ovate, sessile. Colour a pale yello-vvish 

 fawn, with a reddish tinge. Substance cartilaginous, soon decomposing in fresh 

 water. In drying it stains the paper brownish yellow. 



In mere technical character this approaches Cli. tenuissima^ but is a much larger, 

 coarser and less regularly branched species. It abounds along the shore at Key 

 West, after growing quite up to high water limit. It is one of the least ornamental 

 of the genus. 



6. Choxdria atropurpurea ; fi"ond robust, dark coloured, inordinately much 

 branched ; branches patent, the secondary ones, as well as the scattered ramuli 

 tapering to the base and attenuated to an acute point ; conceptacles unknown. (Tab. 

 XVIII. E.) 



Hab. Sullivan's Island, Charleston, Prof. L. R. Gibbes, W. H. H. Apalachichola, 

 Mr. Hooper, (97.) (v. v.) 



