the diameter, and the pinnules are more finely striate in a similar way; 

 these cross lines are indications of the internal, articulated axis, and dis- 

 appear when the surface is highly magnified ; they are also more obvious 

 in the dried, than in the living specimens. The favellce are very minute, 

 sessile near the tips of the pinnules, and surrounded by confervoid, articu- 

 lated, strongly involute filaments. The tetraspores are borne on the ends of 

 the branches of minute confervoid filaments, a fourth of a line in length, 

 which issue from either edge of the pinnules, sometimes from both edges. 

 The colour is a dark vinous-red, becoming browner in dying. The substance 

 is cartilaginous, and the frond imperfectly adheres to paper in drying. 



As already remarked under Dasi/pJdla Preissii (PI. LXVL), 

 this plant shows characters intermediate between Ptilota and 

 Basyphila, proving the close connection between these genera. 

 From all other Ptilotce (perhaps excepting P. siliculosa, whose 

 cystocarps are not known) the present differs in the position of its 

 cystocarps, and the development of their involucre. In other 

 species (as in Pt. Bhodocallis, Plate XLIV.) the cystocarp ter- 

 minates a shortened branch of the frond, and the involucre is 

 formed of displaced or rather fasciculated ramuli ; here the cysto- 

 carp proceeds from the side of a ramidus, and the involucre is a 

 special confervoid emanation of the same. This character cer- 

 tainly indicates a difference of type, and if it applied to many 

 species, or if Ptilota should become an inconveniently large as- 

 semblage, it might be made available for generic distinction. 

 Distinctions also exist in the cellular structure of the frond ; 

 but if these were strictly attended to they would break up the 

 present Ptilota into several. 



The present species is easily recognized, with a common pocket- 

 lens, by the transverse furrows and ridges that mark all the 

 branches and ramuli, and which are indications of the internal 

 jointed main axis and the surrounding lesser axis. When quite 

 fresh, it bears much resemblance to Phacelocarpus Billardieri, 

 but does not become scarlet, like that species, on exposure to 

 rain or steeping in fresh-water. 



Fig. 1. Ptilota striata, — tlie natural size. 3. A small branch, bearing /a- 

 vello' on its pinnules. 3. Apex of a pinnule, with an involucrated favella. 

 4. The /flweZ/fl, with a portion of the involucre removed. 5. Spores. 6. A 

 pinnule, bearing marginal confervoid filaments, with tetraspores. 7. One 

 of the fertile filaments. 8. Transverse section of the frond: — the latter 

 figures variously magnijied. 



