sometimes dark and verging to brown. Substance, when recent, firmly car- 

 tilaginous, but succulent, softening in the air. In drying the young frond 

 adheres firmly to paper, the older not so firmly. Every part shrinks consi- 

 derably. 



This is the most robust species of Mychodea, and differs in 

 habit from all the genus, except M. dlsticha (figured in Fl. Tasm.). 

 In primary ramification, in colour, and in the abundance of late- 

 ral ramuli, it nearly resembles Nemastoma ? comosa (Tab. CIX.), 

 a native of the same part of the coast ; but in internal structure 

 and fructification these plants are extremely unlike. 



Though the frond is compressed, it is not nearly so much 

 flattened and two-edged as in M. dlsticha ; the substance is softer 

 and structure looser, and tbe ramuli are much longer, more 

 slender, less flattened, and not so strongly constricted at the base. 

 Though the differences are not readily expressible in words, the 

 plants look very different, as may be seen by comparing the 

 figure now given with Fl. Tasm. t. 192^. 



Pio-. 1. Mychodea compress a, — the natural size. 2. Cross section through 

 one of the ramuli, — magnified. 



