278 



Island. Nor (ioes il grow aloiig Ihe coast of South America, where 

 Ihe \valer is perhaps loo cold, for il does iiol belong to Ihe col(i- 

 temperale subanlarctic flora. Ils occurience al Juan Feinandez 

 gives furlher evidence lo niy view thal Ihe Humboldl ('unenl does 

 not atlain sulTicient widlh lo leach these islands. 



In 11)16 — 17 the species was again found by me in Ihe same 

 localily bul not seen in any olher place. The Padre Bay is com- 

 parativelj' sheltered and shows härd rocks suilable for algae along 

 the beach; here the richest litoral fauna and Hora in Ihe islands 

 is found. The dilTerence belween higli and low water amounts to 

 4 feet. Splaclinidiiun covers large boulders in the lower half of 

 the lidal region, bul also grows on the sleep rocks near Ihe en- 

 trance. The swell is somelimes very considerable. Only in calm 

 wealher is this region laid bare for some hours. 



External appearance. 



MiTCHELL and Whitting describe Splachnidiiim as consisting of 

 »from live to six branches or fronds \vhich spring from a small 

 conical disc». In large lufts Ihe disc is neilher small nor conical 

 and carries fronds of a rather unlimiled number; they are a little 

 thinner al Iheir base; as the disc gets thicker wilh age they become 

 sunk inlo slight depressions. The plant is perennial, the disc ex- 

 panding by marginal growlh. Young fronds spring from the mar- 

 ginal parts, bul apparenlly also from belween the older fronds. 

 The colour is an olive brown wilh a yellowish linge; the living 

 plant does not show the greenish hue of Mitchell's figure. 



The Juan Fernandez plant is comparalively small, rarely excee- 

 ding 8 or 10 cm. in lenglh; I have nol seen any so large as the 

 Cape plants, but there is not the slightest doubt that they belong 

 to the same species. 



Anatomical structure and mode of growth. 



The merislematic part is clearly visible; the tips of all the fronds 

 and branches are of a tender struclure and of a light yellowish 

 brown colour. According to Mitchell and Whitting the chief 

 increase in growth lakes place round the »apical cell». There is, 

 right enough, an apical meristem, where »apical cells» are found; 

 we can, however, leave them to be discussed låter, as according 



