slightly purple tinge. Substance cartilaginous, rather firm when growing, 

 but becoming flaccid. When dry the frond adheres closely to paper. 



This belongs to the same section as P. cancellata and its 

 alHes, but differs from all of that group by the very densely set 

 and spine-like compound ramuli, sprouting from all sides of the 

 stem and branches. In the habitat near Belfast it occurs 

 abundantly, but none of the specimens collected by me were 

 in fruit. Perhaps the fruit, when discovered, may afford fur- 

 ther characters. 



Fig. 1. PoLYSiPHONiA spiNOSissiMA, — the nnturol uzB. 2. Apex of a branch, 

 with ramuli. 3. An ultimate ramulus. 4. Cross section of a branch: — 

 the latter figures magnified. 



1 



