Ser. RHODOSPERMES. Fam. Rhodomelacez. 
PratE CCLXX. 
ALSIDIUM? COMOSUM, Zuv. 
Grn. Cuar. Frond filiform or compressed, cartilaginous, pinnately or ir- 
regularly decompound, opaque, coated with small, polygonal, irregular 
cellules ; axis articulated, polysiphonous. Ramuli alternate, subulate, 
acute, transversely striate. rit: 1, ceramidia, containing, within 
a membranous pericarp, a tuft of pear-shaped spores: 2, tripartite 
tetraspores, lodged in lanceolate stichidia.—ALsipiuM (4g.), probably 
from aXs, the sea. 
Frons filiformis v. compressa, cartilaginea, pinnatim v. vage decomposita, opaca, 
cellulis minutis polygonis irregularibus corticata; aaxi articulato, polysi- 
phonio. Ramuli alterni, subulati, acuti, transversim striatt. Fruct.: 1, 
ceramidia, intra pericarpium tenue fasciculum sporarum pyriformium foven- 
tia; 2, tetraspore triangule divise, in stichidia lanceolata immerse. 
Atsipium ? comosum; frond terete, robust, tree-like; stem percurrent, 
virgate, closely set throughout its greater length with virgate branches 
spreading in all directions; branches set with long, subulate-filiform 
ramuli, which are clothed with byssoid, subsimple, long-jointed 
ramelli. 
A. ?comosum ; fronde lereti robusta dendroidea mollissima ; caule percurrenti 
virgato ramis virgatiis quaquaversum egredientibus crebre onusto; ramulis 
Jiliformi-subulatis elongatis densis ubique ramellis byssoideis simpliciusculis 
longe articulatis velatis. 
Has. At the Vasse, W. Australia, M/s. Brown. 
Grocer. Distr. West coast of Australia. 
Descr. Root and base of the stem unknown. Stem of unknown length, but 
probably at least 18 inches to 2 feet long, 13-2 lines in diameter below, 
tapering upwards and attenuated to a fine point, quite simple, closely set, 
throughout the greater part of its length, with lateral branches spreading every 
way. Branches 4-5 inches long, virgate, as thick as a sparrow’s quill at 
base, tapering to a very slender point, quite simple, but set, like the stem, 
with closely-placed, erecto-patent, filiform, simple ramuli. Ramudi setaceous, 
about an inch long, clothed with byssoid ramelli. Ramelli 2-3 lines long, 
extremely soft and delicate, either quite simple or once forked near the base, 
articulated ; their articulations cylindrical, many times longer than broad. 
Fruit at present unknown. A cross section of one of the inarticulate 
branches shows a single row of coloured, peripheric cells, surrounding a 
cellular body, in which the articulated axis is not very obvious. Colour a 
