32 HENRIK PRINTZ [1920 



well defined types will be reslricted to a comparatively small 

 iruinber, but in return, with a rather wide range of variation. 



Phycopeltis flabelligera (De Tom) Hansg. Ueb. Gatl. Crena- 

 cantha, p. 59. Hansgirgia flabelligera De Toni, Syll. Alg. I, p. 363; 

 DeWildeman, Observ. sur quelq. d'Algues Terrestres Epiphytes 

 (Bull, Soc. Belgique 1888); A propos de 1' Hansgirgia flabelligera 

 (Soc. royale bot. Belgique 1889). 



This species is rather frequent in some samples from the 

 environs of Durban, above Bluff, between Eastern \Vhaling Com- 

 pany's station and Isipingo Kraales, collected Nov. 17th (nos. 194, 

 207) and in a single sample from the water-place at Saldanha Bay, 

 March ISth (397), where it occurs togetber with some other 

 Chlorophgceae as a ooatmg on various straws and rush. Already 

 by a siight niagnifioalion it is seen to differ from the preceding 

 species in an irregular and indented circumference. The pictures of 

 DeWildeman s in Obs. Alg. Ter. Epif. fig. 9, moreover, give a good 

 idea of the appearance of this alga. On close scrutiny the species, 

 mjoreover, evinces a wide range of variability. The cells are rather 

 irregular, 3,4 or 5 angular, nor are the discs by far so regularly made 

 up as in the preceding one. Besides, this species is more apt to ddla- 

 pidating into single filaments. From a central disc, built of compara- 

 tively short and broad cells, it will be seen that the cell-rows very 

 frequently split and grow forth rather irregularly. The cells of 

 these free rows are, as a rule, more inflated than those of the solid 

 disc, where they, because of the mutual compression, are apt to ta- 

 king a more rectangular or polygonal shape. Also in the central disc 

 ilself are often to be found rents between the cell-series. Casually 

 broken and isolated cell-rows are capable of continuing their growth 

 nearly as a real Trentepohlia. It emits lateral branches, and I have 

 observed intercalary cell-divisions and forming of sporangies in 

 such specimens. 



This species, whicb previously has been described by De Toni 

 as a distinct genus, Hansgirgia, thus seemed to form a transition 

 between the genera Trentepohlia and the true Phycopeltis (sect. 

 Luphgcopeltis Wille). To maintain the genus Hansgirgia accord- 

 ing to the limitations given by De Toni, does not seiem to be 

 systematically well founded, now that we have got a more exact 

 knowledge of these forms. As to the appearance of the species, the 

 accompanying pictures on pi. XII will give an idea thereoff. The 

 size of the cells is varying, on an average between 5 — 7 n. in breadth, 

 at times up to 8 — 10 jn. The disc-sporangies are globosé or ellipsoid, 

 somewhat larger and more tumid than the vegetative cells. 



