228 CERAMIACE^. V. 



1. Gritfithsia coralUna ? Ag. — J. Ag. Sp. Alg. 2, p. 78, Sfc. Var. /3 glohifera ; 



filaments capillary, the lower articulations many times longer than broad, but 



slightly swollen ; the upper and terminal ones inflated, pyriform or globose. 



Grifthsia glohifera, Harv. MS. (Tab. XXXV. A.) 

 Var. 7, tenuis ; of small size, all the articulations slender, but slightly swollen 



upwards, the terminal ones attenuated. 



Hab. Vars. /3 and 7 on Zosiera, at Greenport, Long Island, Prof. Bailey and 

 W. H. H. Providence, Mr. Olney. New Bedford, Dr. Roche. Port Jefferson, Mr. 

 Loimshury. Key West, (a fragment only) W. H. H. (v. v.) 



In var. /3 the frond is capillary or setaceous, two to three inches high, densely 

 tufted, many times dichotomous, more or less fastigiate, the upper branches some- 

 times, by abortion, alternate or secund ; the lower axils patent, the upper more 

 erect. Intemodes more or less swollen upwards, the lower ones many times longer 

 than their diameter and little swollen ; the upper shorter, either pyriform or 

 elliptical ; the terminal very frequently globose, much inflated, twice or thrice the 

 diameter of that immediately below it. Favelloi sessile on the apex of an internode 

 of the branches, especially of the upper ones, occupying the position of a suppressed 

 arm of a dichotomy, subtended by a few short ramelli, one or more favellae in each 

 involucre. Colour rose-red, rapidly discharged in fresh water. Substance soft, 

 gelatinoso-membranaceous, closely adhering to paper in drying. 



In var. 7, the frond is one to four inches high, the lower articulations very long, 

 some of them cylindrical, others slightly pyriform ; the upper articulations more 

 frequently pyriform, and the terminal ones slender, the branches often tapering to 

 a fine point. I have not seen fi'uit on this variety. 



These two varieties appear distinct enough on paper, not merely from each other, 

 but from the common European state of Griff, corallina ; and at first I had set aside 

 var. yS as a species, characterised by the terminal, vesicular cell. Afterwards on 

 gathering a large number of specimens of both forms at Greenport, where they are 

 common in August, I found some that had the peculiarities of var. j3 and j com- 

 bined on the same frond, and others that approached in essential characters to the 

 ordinary G. corallina. None, however, that I have seen from America can be said 

 to be absolutely similar to those from Europe, as all, however much they may put 

 on the characters, are much more slender than any European specimens I have 

 seen. Possibly future observations may require the establishment of a new species 

 for these American varieties. 



Plate XXXV. A. Fig. 1. Griffithsia corallina, var. glohifera, the natural size. 

 Fig. 2, a portion of the frond magnified. Fig. 3, apex with favella ; and fg. 4, 

 spores ; highly magnified. 



