BOT.-VOL. II.] NOTT-CALIFORNIAN NITOPHYLLA. 3I 



specimens of N. riip'echtianum soon brings to light the 

 variation in that species, however, and helps to establish its 

 non-identity with N. harveyanuvi. 



Certain forms of N. riifrechtianum exhibit a pronounced 

 dark purplish red tinge, both in the fresh and dried states, 

 and are somewhat stiff and brittle. The segments of the 

 frond are narrower, and more or less prolonged. Such 

 forms almost invariably bear flabellately arranged, linear 

 sori, and on the whole, present the distinctive characters of 

 N. harveyanum. Between such an extreme variation as 

 this and the typical N. rufrechtiamim, however, there may 

 be found every gradation in color, form of segments, and 

 position and shape of sori, which are discussed more in 

 detail under N. rup'echtiamtni. The form in question, 

 however, usually retains enough of the distinctive color and 

 venation of N. rufrechtianum to enable it to be recognized. 

 The writer is further indebted to Professor Setchell for a 

 comparison made by him between specimens of N. harvey- 

 anum in the herbarium of Professor Farlow, and plants 

 from this coast. The specimens in Professor Farlow's 

 herbarium are from New Zealand, and are designated as 

 N. harveyanum by Agardh. The resemblance in habit 

 between these and plants collected by the writer at Fort 

 Ross is very striking, both in the tetrasporic and cystocarpic 

 plants. Judging from Agardh's description and from this 

 comparison of specimens, there seems to be good reason for 

 keeping this species under N. harveyanum. 



Habitat.— N. harveyanum is found most frequently upon 

 very much exposed rock surfaces which are bare or coated 

 with Corallines, at extreme low tide-mark in the littoral and 



sublittoral zones. 



Distribution.— Along the coast from Santa Cruz north- 

 ward to Puget Sound. Apparently a northern form. 



Localities.— S2in\.2i Cruz! (Dr. C. L. Anderson); San 

 Francisco! (G. W. Lichtenthaler) ; Land's End, San Fran- 

 cisco! (W. A. Setchell; C. P. Nott) ; Duxbury Reef! (W. 

 A. Setchell); Fort Ross! (C. P. Nott); Puget Sound! 

 (Thomas Stratton). 



