several times decompound. All tlie divisions taper to the base, sometimes 

 at their insertion being only of setaceous thickness ; all are acute, but rarely 

 acuminate at the extremity. The ultimate ramuli are 1-2 inches long, 

 generally very erect, with narrow axils. Cystocarps are plentifully scattered 

 over the branches and ramuli, in the substance of which they are fully im- 

 mersed, but rather prominent towards one side, and in the dried specimen 

 project from the edges of the branch, like small conical pustules. The, spo7-es 

 are often two or three in a string on the spore-thread, and are more oval than 

 in S. chordalis. The colour is a full deep-red, becoming rather darker in 

 di'ying, and, if not steeped in fresh-water for some time, the specimens will 

 stain the paper brown on which they are displayed. The substance is fleshy 

 and succulent, soft and flexible, and in drying the frond adheres closely to 

 paper. 



This genus agrees with Bliahdonia both in habit and in the 

 structure of the frond, and differs merely in the structure of the 

 cystocarp ; but so essentially as to compel us to refer these genera 

 to different families. The present species is much larger and 

 more robust than S. chordalis, but in other respects very similar 

 to it. The ramuh, however, are much less taper-pointed, and 

 the spores are of a somewhat different form. It abounds at 

 Fremantle, after severe winter gales, and seems to come up from 

 deep water. 



Fig 1. SoLiERiA AUSTRALis; a j/OM»^ plant, — the natural size. 2. Transverse 

 section of a branch, with an immersed conceptacle. 3. Portion of the pla- 

 centa, with a tuft of spore-threads. 4. Spore-threads. 5. Longitudinal 

 section of a branch : — the latter figures magnified. 



