Ser. RHODOSPERMEX.  - Fam. Rhodomelacce. 
Prare CCLVII. 
DASYA TENERA, Harv. 
Gen. Cuar. Frond filiform or compressed, dendroid; stem and branches 
coated with small, polygonal cells (rarely articulated, and many-tubed) ; 
the axis articulate, composed of several radiating cells surrounding 
a central cavity; ramelli articulated, one-tubed. Fructification: 1, 
ovate or urceolate ceramidia; 2, lanceolate stichidia, attached to the 
ramelli, and containing triangularly-parted tetraspores in transverse 
rows.—Dasya (4g.), from dacus, hairy. 
Frons filiformis v. compressa, dendroidea. Caulis ramique majores strato cel- 
lularum corticati (raro pellucide articulati), ramellis monosiphoniis obsessi ; 
axis articulatus, ex cellulis pluribus radiantibus tubum centralem cingentibus 
formatus. Fruct.: 1, ceramidia ovata v. urceolata ; 2, stichidia lanceolata, 
ex ramellis enata, tetrasporas transversim ordinatas foventia. 
Dasya tenera ; cartilagmous when fresh, but almost instantly softening, 
rosy when dry; frond 4-tubed, corticated, decompoundly much 
branched, subdichotomous, flexuous; branches irregularly divided, 
the smaller ones often secund, the ultimate much attenuated, acute, 
all naked or laxly covered with very slender ramelli ; ramelli whorled, 
branched at base, subsimple, straight, cylindrical, obtuse ; ceramidia 
ovate, pedicellate ; stichidia scattered or tufted, lanceolate, formed on 
the ramuli. 
D. tenera; cartilaginea, mox aere deliquescens, siccitate rosea ; fronde tetra- 
siphonia corticata decomposite ramosissima subdichotoma flexuosa; ramis ir- 
regulariter divisis, minoribus sepe secundis, ultimis attenuatis acutis, omnibus 
denudatis v. ramellis tenuissimis laxe vestitis; ramellis verticillatis basi 
ramosis simpliciusculis strictis cylindraceis obtusis; ceramidiis ovatis pedicel- 
latis ; stichidits sparsis v. fasciculatis lanceolatis e ramulis enatis. 
Dasya tenera, Harv. in Trans. Rk. I. Acad. v. 22. p. 543. Alg. Austr. Exsic. 
No. 209. 
Has. Thrown up from deep water. Very abundant at Fremantle and in 
King George’s Sound, West Australia. Also at Port Philip, Victoria. 
Grocer. Distr. West and south coasts of New Holland. 
Descr. Root a small disc. This forms large, globose, tufts, 6-12 inches or 
more in diameter. ronds 6-12 inches long, varying from 1 line to 
a line or rather more in diameter, excessively branched in an irregularly 
dichotomous or alternately decompound manner, the lesser divisions fre- 
quently secund. The branches are directed towards ali sides, and spread 
at wide angles; they taper much towards the extremities, and the smaller 
