with an angularly-bent, more or less evident main stem. Principal branches 

 somewhat ovate in outline, alternately decompound, several times divided, 

 and more or less ramuliferous ; all the angles sharp, and the divisions of the 

 frond and branches erect or erecto-patent. The older parts of the frond are 

 denuded and smooth, but all the vigorous and younger parts are beset, at 

 every articulation, with a whorl of byssoid, monosiphonous ramelli. These ra- 

 melli are dichotomous, 1-2 lines long, very soft and slender, and long-jointed ; 

 in all respects resembling the ramelli of a Dasya. They are denser on the 

 younger parts, and at the ends of the branchlets so crowded together that 

 they make a dark, eye-like spot. The frond is seven-tubed, the articulations 

 varying in length in different individuals and in different parts of the same 

 individual ; the articulations are all pellucid. The ceramidia are sessile on 

 the sides of the smaller branches, ovate or broadly urceolate, and elegantly 

 arcolated with hexagonal cells. The tetrmpores are set alternately on dis- 

 torted branchlets. The colour, when recent, is a dark red-purple or vinous, 

 becoming browner and darker in drying. The substance is soft, and iu 

 drying the frond adheres firmly to paper. 



An abundant species on most parts of the southern coast, and 

 easily known from every other Australian by the byssoid, one- 

 tubed ramelli that whorl every joint, except on the denuded 

 parts. These ramelli are similar in structure to the ramelli of a 

 Dasya ; but this species differs from Dasya and agrees with other 

 FolysiplionicB in having its tetraspores lodged, not in ''stichidia" 

 but in the ordinary ramuli. A European species, P. byssoidea, 

 agrees with our P. CladostepJms in this character, but differs in 

 ramification and in other respects. 



Fig. 1. PoLYsiPHONiA Cladostephus, — tJie natural size. 3. Joints of the 

 stem and the ramellus. 3. Cross section of the stem. 4. Part of a ramu- 

 lus, with ceramidia. 5. A ceramidium. 6. Spores from the same. 7. A 

 ramuluSj with tetraspores. 8. A tetraspore : — variously magnified. 



