ones are attenuated to a fine point. The frond in every part is thickly 
coated with cellules, so as to appear inarticulate, and the larger branches 
as well as the older parts of full-grown fronds are bare of ramelli. 
All the young branches, while growth continues, are thinly clothed with 
very slender, soft, fugacious subsimple ramelli. rut of both kinds is 
commonly produced. The ceramidia are ovate, borne on larger or shorter 
inarticulate pedicels issuing from the sides of the branches, often in secund 
order. The stichidia are similarly placed and pedicellated, and lanceo- 
late in form. The colour, when the plant is quite fresh, is a pale testaceous 
brown, but soon after gathering it changes to a brilliant rosy-red, which is 
retained in drying. The substance, at first cartilaginous, almost instantly 
softens in the air, and decomposes into jelly on immersion in fresh water. 
In drying the frond unites itself most closely with paper. 
PIN 
This species, though profusely common on several parts of the 
Australian coast, has only very recently attracted the notice of 
collectors. Nor is this to be wondered at, because it is of so 
perishable a nature as to be dried with difficulty ; and even 
when most skilfully prepared, the half-dissolved specimens be- 
come so incorporated with the paper on which they are dis- 
played, as to be of little use for microscopic examination. Hav- 
ing neglected to make a sketch of the anatomical character of 
the living plant, I have been unable to supply the deficiency 
from the dry, as remoistening the stem causes it instantly to dis- 
solve. 
The remarkable change of colour, from pale-brown to brilliant 
rose-red, which takes place in this species on removal from the 
sea, is mentioned in our description. A similar change occurs 
under similar circumstances in all the species of Sarcomenia, mn 
Polysiphonia mutabihs. At the same time the substance softens 
in all these plants, and decay rapidly ensues. 
Fig. 1. Dasya TENERA,—the natural size. 2. Fragment of a branch, bearing 
ceramidia. 3. Spores. 4. Apex of a branch, with s¢échidia and ramelli. 
5. A tetraspore :—the latter figures magnified. 
