62 RHODOMELACEiE. v. 



ramelli. Var. /3. more densely branched and bushy, with shorter branches, and 

 more diffused, more copious, and much attenuated ramelli. 



Hab. At Key West, W. H. H. (9, 10). (v. v.) 



Frond six to twelve inches long or more, as thick as sparrow's quill below, much 

 attenuated upwards, divided near the base into several principal branches or stems, 

 which are excessively decompound and bushy ; each set of lesser branches spring- 

 ino- along the sides of the primary branches irregularly. The ultimate branches 

 are from half an inch to an inch long, not so thick as hog's bristle, imperfectly 

 jointed, the internodes areolated with irregularly formed cells, and about as long as 

 broad ; they are sometimes naked except at the extremity, but are more usually 

 clothed beyond the middle with densely crowded ramelli. These ramelli are from 

 a quarter line to a line in length, of much greater diameter than those of D. elegans^ 

 erectopatent, dichotomous, their divisions generally arched inwards and tapering 

 to a point. The axils are all narrow. The articulations very variable in different 

 individuals, sometimes only about as long as broad, sometimes 3-5 times as long. 

 A cross section of a small branch shows five primary tubes, surrounded by nume- 

 rous external cells, smaller to the circumference : in the lai^ger branches and stem 

 the external border of cells is proportionably thicker and denser. I ha\'e only seen 

 immature stichidia ; they are linear oblong, and subacute, on the first or second 

 forks of the ramelli. Colour a brownish red or purplish brown, becoming much 

 darker in drying. Substance tough and tenacious, but very soft. This plant bears 

 immersion in fresh water for some time without injury, and in drying adheres 

 strongly to paper. 



4. Dasya (Rhodonema) mollis ; robust, very soft and flaccid, alternately much 

 branched, bushy ; branches inarticulate, twice or thrice compounded, their ultimate 

 divisions short ; all the younger parts clothed with confervoid ramelli which are 

 laxly scattered on the larger and densely imbricated on the smaller branches ; 

 ramelli patent, dichotomous, from a robust base much attenuated, and very slen- 

 der ; axils wide ; lower articulations short and cellular, upper four to six times as 

 long as broad, single tubed ; stichidia oblong-acuminate. 



Hab. Key West, rare. W. H. H. (14). (v. v.) 



Frond 2-3 inches high, as thick as sparrow's quill, irregularly much branched, 

 bushy, often wider in the spread of the branches than the height of the stem. The 

 stem in my specimens divides a short distance above the base into three or four 

 main divisions, which spread subhorizontally, fork irregularly, and are decom- 

 poundly once or twice divided : the branches alternate, or irregular, of unequal 

 length, long and short indiscriminately mixed. All the branches and their divi- 

 sions are hirsute with squarrose, patent ramelli, laxly scattered over the older 



