branches, which are once, twice, or thrice pinnated with successive series of 

 lesser distichous branchlets. Every part of the frond, down to the ends 

 of the pinnules, is opaque, the surface densely coated with small cellules, 

 hiding the articulated axis : the stem and principal branches are softly vil- 

 lous ; the rest of the frond densely clothed with ramelli. The ramelli are 

 half a line long, very patent, squarrose or curled, bright rosy-red, and re- 

 peatedly dichotomous, soft, but not very flaccid, and acute, but not atte- 

 nuate. The cystocarps are sessile at or near the ends of the pinnules, and 

 are densely covered with ramelli, besides being often almost hidden in a dense 

 tuft or pseudo-involucre of similar ramelli : those examined by me contain 

 a dense, basal, pulvinate tuft of dichotomous, submoniliform filaments, whose 

 terminal cells separate, as spores (?) : very unlike the spores of other species 

 of Dasya. The stichidia are minute, borne as usual on the ramelli, and 

 similar in structure and contents to those of other species. The colour is 

 either bright-rosy, or a brownish-red, and in drying turns rather darker. 

 The substance is soft, holding water like a sponge, but not gelatinous ; and 

 in drying the frond adheres very closely to paper. 



A very fine species of Dasya, one of many interesting Algae 

 collected by me while staying with my hospitable friends, Mr. 

 and Mrs. M'Haflie, of Philip Island, Western Port, and selected 

 to bear the name of the lady of the island. It has so much the 

 aspect of a Wrangelia, that at first I had referred it to that 

 genus, but the fructification, so far as known, is that of a Dasya. 

 I cannot look on the cystocarps as being in a normal state ; or if 

 they be, the present Alga must be considered the type of a new 

 genus, and removed from the BhodomelacecB io— perhaps the 

 Spyridiacea ? 



At Fig. 3, 4, and 5 are given details of the contents of the 

 ceramidium, and these are very unlike the properly organized 

 spore-threads and spores of a Dasya ; but in all other characters, 

 both of frond and tetrasporic fructification, the agreement with 

 Dasya is complete. But may not the densely crowded ramelli 

 that spring from the walls of the ceramidium be regarded as an 

 indication of the abnormal state of that organ ? 



Fig. 1. Dasya HAFFiiE ; a branch, — the natm-al size. 2. Apex of a pinnule, 

 with a ceramidium near the point. 3. Dichotomous filaments from the 

 (imperfectly organized ?) ceramidium. 4. Some of these threads, — enlarged. 

 5. Spores?, from the same. 6. A ramellus, with stichidia. 7. A tetraspore : 

 — the latter figures variously magnified. 



