the whole surface of the lamina, or of its principal divisions. Colour a full 

 deep-red, like that of Callophyllis laciniata. Substance rather thick, not 

 very delicate ; the frond adhering to paper in drying. 



As far as technical characters go, this plant is amply distin- 

 guished from all others of the extensive genus to which it be- 

 longs. No other species of Nitophyllmn has its margin so fringed 

 with minute, repeatedly multifid processes, and this mark will 

 forbid any one mistaking it. But this very fringe, to the eye 

 accustomed to " divarication of species " among Algse, looks 

 suspicious, particularly as a similar ornament is found on the 

 conceptacles ; and I shall not be surprised if it be eventually 

 proved that we have here but a fringed variety of some plain- 

 bordered species unknown. The Australian phycologist is fami- 

 liar with a fringed variety of Plocamium procermn which, had 

 we no intermediate states to guide us, might pass for a good 

 species. 



Nitophylliim. has many species, dispersed through most of the 

 temperate zones, and a few that straggle into the tropical seas. 

 There are several Australian kinds, but the genus is chiefly 

 abundant to the east of Cape Northumberland and in Tas- 

 mania, where some common species attain a large size. The 

 grandest of the Nitopliylla however are found at Cape Horn 

 and the Cape of Good Hope. 



Fig. 1. NiTOPHYLLUM EKOSUM, — the natural size. 2. Part of a lacinia, with a 

 conceptacle, — not wmcIi enlarged. 3. Vertical section of a conceptacle. 4. 

 Frustule of frond, to show marginal fringe and sori. 5. A tetraspore : — 

 the latter figures much magnified. 



