Ser. RHODOSPERMEA. 1 Fam. Lhodomelacee. 
Puate CCXLILI. 
POLYSIPHONIA ROSTRATA, Sond. 
Gen. Cuar. Frond filiform, partially or generally articulate; the joints 
longitudinally striate, composed of numerous cylindrical cells sur- 
5 y ? P 
rounding a central cell (sometimes coated with one or several rows of 
smaller cells). Fructification: 1, ovate or urceolate ceramidia, con- 
taining a tuft of pear-shaped spores; 2, fetraspores, immersed in 
swollen branches.—PotysipHonta (Grev.), from wodvs, many, and 
otpap, a tube. 
Frons filiformis, plus minus articulata ; articulis longitudinaliter pluristriatis, 
ex cellulis 4—20 eylindraceis cellulam centralem cingentibus formatis (nunc 
cellulis minoribus pluriseriatis corticatis). Fruct.: 1, ceramidia; 2, tetra- 
spore in ramulis ultimis uniseriate. 
PotystpHonta rostrata ; frond rising from creeping threads, erect, purple ; 
branches short, simple or divided, erecto-patent, falcato-incurved ; 
ramuli secund, filiform, springing from the under side of the branches ; 
articulations about as long as broad; siphons 12-16; conceptacles 
ovate, terminating shortened ramuli; tetraspores in the ramuli. 
P. rostrata; fronde e filis repentibus orta erecta purpurea ; ramis brevibus sim- 
plicibus v. raro divisis erecto-patentibus falcato-incurvis ; ramulis secundis 
Jiliformibus acutis deorsum spectantibus ; articulis diametro subequalibus, si- 
phonibus 12-16; ceramidiis ovatis ramulos abbreviatos terminantibus ; tetra- 
sporis in ramulis nidulantibus. 
PoLysipHonta rostrata, Sond. in Bot. Zeit. 1845. p. 53. Pl. Preiss. v. 2. p. 
180. Harv. Ner. Austr. p.49. Alg. Austr. Exsic. n. 196. 
Has. Parasitical on various a/gz, W. Australia, Precss! Garden Island 
and Rottnest, W. Australia, I”. H. H., G. Clifton. 
Geoer. Distr. Western Australia. 
Descr. This species originates in prostrate threads or surculi, 1-8 inches long, 
attached by means of small sucker-discs to the alge on which they grow. 
These primary surculi throw up, along their upper side, numerous secund 
Jronds, which at length become 1-2 inches high. Fronds capillary, sub- 
simple, either linear or lanceolate in outline, set throughout with short, 
simple, erecto-patent, faleato-incurved, alternate branches, each of which is 
subtended by several scattered, subsecund or spirally-inserted, simple, fili- 
form ramuli. The dranches are pectinated along their lower (outer) side 
with similar secund simple ramuli, one of which issues from nearly every 
node. amuli 1-2 lines long, subacute. Articulations about as long as 
broad in all parts of the frond, those of the main stem having 12-16 tubes, 
