110 SPH^ROCOCCOIDE/E. v. 



A. single specimen only seen liy me. Frond about four inches long, a line or 

 rather more in diameter at the base, much attenuated upwards, very much branched 

 in a very irregular manner, between dichotomous and secundate, the main divisions 

 frequently secund, and then dichotomously multifid. Principal branches and their 

 divisions distichous. Ramuli irregularly inserted, nearly at right angles with the 

 branches, two or three lines long, simple or forked, very acute, the bifid ends 

 divai'icating. Colour a purplish red, fading to white. Substance much more tender 

 than in G. confervoides. Fruit unknown. 



7. Gracilaria Poitei, Lam. ; frond terete, very thick and robust, cartilagineo- 

 corneous, dichotomously decompound, fastigiate, densely branched ; branches 

 erecto-patent, with rounded angles, dichotomo-multifid or furnished with lateral 

 short ramuli, the aj^ices very obtuse, rounded or truncate or sometimes incrassated 

 and distorted ; conceptacles obtusely conical, depressed, scattered on the larger 

 branches. /. Ag. Sjj. Alg. 2, p. 596. Fucus Poitei, Lam. diss. p. 63, t. XXXI. fig. 

 2,3. 



Key West, rare, W. H. H. (48). (v. v.) 



Fronds (in my specimens) about three or four inches high, varying in diameter 

 from the thickness of a pigeon's quill to that of a goose quill, shrinking very much 

 in drying, somewhat flabelliform in outline, rising at first with an undivided, 

 erect stipe, then forking and afterwards repeatedly irregularly divided ; the 

 branches opposite, alternate or secund, fastigiate or nearly so, dichotomo-multifid, 

 of nearly equal diameter throughout. Axils rounded. Lateral ramuli few, chiefly 

 near the ends of the branches. Apices very obtuse, rounded or truncate, sometimes 

 much thickened, and occasionally hollowed out into cups twice or thrice as wide as 

 the branch. Conceptacles plentiful, obtusely conical, with a wide mouth opening by 

 a largish pore. Colour a livid purple, fading to greenish white. Substance carnoso- 

 cartilaginous when recent, rather horny when dry. It does not adhere to paper in 

 drying. 



My specimens are more robust than those described by Agardh, but as some are 

 of much greater diameter than others, I do not attribute much importance to this 

 character ; and in most other respects our specimens seem to agree pretty well. 

 One of mine is well supplied with conceptacles. 



8. Gracilaria damcecomis, J. Ag. ; " frond terete, very thick, carnoso-cor- 

 neous, decompound-dichotomous, subfastigiate ; branches sub-erect, often incurved, 

 below subsecundly, above subdivaricately ramulose ; ramuli very patent, acumi- 

 nated from a broader base." J. Ag. Sp. Alg. 2, p. 598. 



Hab. On the Atlantic coast of North America, J. Agardh. 

 Unknown to me. 



