Ser. Melanosperme/K. Fam. Pucacea. 



Plate CCXIII. 

 NOTHEIA k'^OUkhk. Bail ei Harv. 



Gen. Char. Frond parasitic, filiform, irregularly branclied, proliferous, 

 solid. ScapUdia scattered over the whole frond, hollowed out in the 

 cortical stratum below the surface, spherical, opening through a canal 

 into a superficial ostiole. Spores linear-obovate, parietal. Parane- 

 mata simple. — Notheia [B. et H.), from vodeia, a spurious i/nnff. 



Frons parasitica, fiUforvm, vage ramosa, prolifera, soUda. Scaphidia per totam 

 frondcm sparsa, in drato corticuU infra superjiciem excavata, sphcBrica, ciini 

 ostiolo siiperficiali per canalem communicantia. Spores lineari-obovatce, parie- 

 tales. Paranemata simpLicia. 



Notheia anomala, Bail, et Harv. 



Notheia anomala, Bail, et Earv. Alg. Wilkes, cum icone. Harv. in Fl. N. 

 Zeal. V. 2. p. 216. t. CIX. A. Harv. in Trans. R. I. Acad. v. 22. p. 534. 

 Harv. in Hook.fil. FL Tasm. v. "i. p. 287. 



Hab. Parasitical on Hormosira Banhii. At Port Fairy, and at Port Phillip 

 Heads, JF. 11. H. Tasmania. 



Geogr. Distr. South coasts of Austraha. Tasmania. New Zealand. 



Descr. Root parasitical, inserted into the spore-cavity of Hormosira Banksii. 

 Fronds solitary from each cavity, 3-8 inches long, |-1 line in diameter, at 

 first simple, afterwards excessively branched aiiid bushy, the branches and 

 ramuli proliferous, each one springing from one of the spore-cavities of an 

 older branch. The frond is cylindrical, and each of its branches and ramuli 

 is linear-fusiform, much attenuated at the insertion, and tapering to a more 

 or less acute apex ; the axis is solid, composed of longitudinal interwoven 

 filaments; the periphery of subhorizontal, parallel, radiating, slender, co- 

 loured filaments. Spore-cavities {scaphidia) are abundantly scattered over 

 all parts of the frond, and communicate with the surface through a gland- 

 like pore. They appear to be dioecious ; but only spore-producing cavities 

 have yet been seen. The spores are very narrow, linear-oblong, parietal, 

 growing among copious simple paranemata. The colour, wben recent, is 

 a pale brownish or yellowish olive or liorn-colour ; in the herbarium it 

 turns very dark or almost black. The auhtance, when recent, is between 

 cartilaginous and coriaceous ; when dry, rigid and brittle. The young plant 

 adheres to paper. 



This little plant abounds wherever Hormosira Banhii grows 

 commonly, and is always strictly parasitical upon that species, 



