compressed, distichously much branched in a pinnate order. The main ra- 

 cliis and those of the hirgcr branches more or less flexuous or zigzag, and 

 prok)nged (excurrent) into a tapering point beyond the uppermost pinnae. 

 Fimue alternate, \-\ inch apart, patent, the lowest longest, the rest gradu- 

 ally shorter upwards, simply or doubly pinnate. Pinnules resembling small 

 clusters of grapes, densely warted on all sides ; the warts globose or hemi- 

 spherical. Itamuli that bear tetraspores are precisely like the others. Male 

 receptacles saucer-shaped ; their cavity filled witli very fragile, densely 

 packed filaments, bearing abundant yellow antheridia. Colour a dull purple, 

 or greenish, or very pale, according to exposure ; darkening in drying. Sub- 

 stance firmly cartilaginous and elastic. The frond shrinks considerably in 

 drying, and adheres to paper. 



One of the larger and handsomer species of Laurencia, appro- 

 priately named bofri/oides, from the resemblance of its ultimate 

 pinnules to bunches of grapes ; a resemblance which is very 

 striking on specimens where the pinnules retain a deep purple 

 colour, while the larger branches are bleached or greenish-white. 

 This is the case in sun-exposed specimens, and these, from the 

 plant commonly growing between tide-marks, are the most 

 abundant. Fronds grown on the very edge of low-water, or 

 below it, are uniformly lurid-purple. 



Originally figured by Turner, from specimens collected by 

 Brown, it has been in more recent times confounded with other 

 forms, now held for distinct species ; and as I have myself con- 

 tributed to this confusion, I more willingly now figure what I 

 suppose to be a fairly typical specimen of what is assuredly a 

 variable plant. 



Fig. ] . Lauuencia BOTRYOiDES, — the natvral size. 2. Part of a pinnule, with 

 grape-clusters. 3. A tetraspore. 4. A ramulus, bearing male saucers. 5. 

 Flocci from the same : — variously magnified. 



