82 Howe : Phycological studies 



main mutually free. If there is any irregular or accidental coher- 

 ence among them, there is no approach to the beautifully regular 

 coherence of N, dumetosd^ and the lime-masses between the 

 branches are narrower than the branches, while in ' N, ditmetosa 

 they are, except at their bases (or sometimes, also, at their apices), 

 2-4 times as broad as the branches themselves. Moreover, the 

 primary branches of Ncomeris dwnetosa are easily deciduous or 

 caducous, while in N. van Bosscae they are persistent, and the 

 sporangia also, show a similar tendency quite apart from branches 

 on which they are borne. NeomaHs van Bosseae is also a stouter 

 plant than N. dnmetosa^ being mostly 6-12 times as long as thick, 

 as opposed to r 5-20 times as long as thick, and it is usually more 



r 



rounded-obtuse at the apex. 



The arrangement of the facets in the cortex appears to be 

 somewhat variable in N. van Bosseae. When, as is often the case, 

 the members of each pair of corticating branches are opposed to 

 each other laterally, that is, lie in a transverse plane, the arrange- 

 ment is manifestly regular, the number of transverse rows of facets 

 corresponds exactly to the number of primary whorls, and the 

 number of facets in each row is consequently just twice the number 

 of elements in the corresponding primary whorl. But when, on 

 the other hand, the members of each pair lie in an oblique plane, 

 there are two possible ways of interpreting what shall constitute a 

 transverse row of facets and, according to the method adopted, 

 there may be either twice as many rows as there are primary 

 whorls or only the same number. A change from the regularly 

 transverse arrangement to the oblique may sometimes be noted in 

 the different parts of a single individual plant. 



3. Neomeris stipitata sp. nov. 



Ncomeris diimetosa Church, Ann, Bot. 9 : 58 1-608. //. 2i~2j. 



1895. Not Neomeris dmnetosa Lamour. Hist. Polyp. 243.//. 7. 



/ 8. 1816. ' 



Plants cespitose or gregarious, elongate-clavate, hghtly calci- 

 fied, 26-40 mm. long, 2-2.5 ^™- thick, mostly 13-20 times as 

 long as thick, subacute at apex: successiv^e whorls of primary 

 branches about 300-500 in number, 90— 120 /^ apart in median 

 regions; number of branches in a whorl in later stages usually 

 16-32 ; hairs all of one form, persistent in the apical fourth to 

 sixth and making a rather conspicuous coma : ends of branches 



