231 



FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND, 



\_Alg<e, 



Gen. LII. MELOBESIA, Lamour. 

 (Lamour. Cor. Flex. p. 313. Dene. Class. I. c. Harv. Ner. Austr. p. 109. J. Ag. Sp. Alg. ii. p. 510. Litho- 



lion, Phil.— Aresch.) 



1. Melobesia calcarea, Ell. et Soil., Harv. Phjc. Brit. t. 291. Harv. Ner. Austr. p. 110. /. Ag. Sp. 

 Alg. v. 2. p. 523. 



Hab. New Zealand, J. B. E. (Native of Northern Atlantic.) 



2. Melobesia Patena, Hook. fil. et Harv., Ner. Austr. p. 111. i. 40. J. Ag. Sp. Alg. v. 2. p. 514. 

 Hab. Parasitical on Ballia, Colenso. 



Tribe Y. SPHJSROCOCCOIBLJS. 



Gen. LIII. DELESSEBIA, Lamour. 

 (Grev. Alg. Brit. p. 71. Harv. Ner. Austr. p. 114. J. Ag. Sp. Alg. ii. 677. exel. sp.) 



1. Delesseria HooJceri, Lyall, MS. ; fronde (maxima) petiolata cartilagineo-membranacea crassa pur- 

 purea ovato-lanceolata vel elliptico-obovata indivisa vel in laciniis pluribus palmatim partita costata ner- 

 visque suboppositis dichotomis peragrata, margine eroso vel crenulato, coccidiis hemisphaericis ore obliquo 

 in sporophyllis propriis minutis e nervis lateralibus evolutis, tetrasporis minutis in soris oblongis parvis per 

 laminam densissime sparsis. (Tab. CXIV., CXV.) 



Hab. Lyall's Bay, Cook's Straits, Eoveaux Straits, and Otago, In/all. 



Fronds 2 feet or more in length, 4-5 inches broad, ovato-lanceolate or elliptico-obovate, in our specimens much 

 torn, the lacerations running obliquely from the margin to the midrib. Apices acute or subacute. Sometimes the 

 frond is deeply palmatifid, the midrib branching, and one branch running through each segment. Midrib 1-2 lines 

 wide, pinnated at distances of half an inch, with opposite (rarely alternate), thick, rib-like, erecto-patent, diehotomous 

 veins, which are gradually obliterated towards the margin. Margin minutely eroso-dentate. Conceptacles on little 

 obovate processes, 1-2 lines long, rising from the diehotomous veins, hemispherical, with an oblique, prominent 

 orifice, and thick, cellular pericarp. Nucleus depressed-hemispherical, on a basal placenta ; spore-threads diehoto- 

 mous. Tetraspores in minute, oblong sori, scattered through the lamina near its base. Colour a splendid crimson- 

 purple. Substance very thick, the surface cellules small. — The noblest of the genus. — Plate CXIV., CXV. Fig. 1, 

 plant, natural size ; 2, small portion of the lamina, bearing sporophylla; 3, a young conceptacle; 4, an older con- 

 ceptacle ; 5, vertical section of a conceptacle ; 6, section of the frond : — all more or less magnified. 



2. Delesseria nereifolia, Harv. ; fronde cartilagineo-membranacea elastica elliptico-oblonga vel lato- 

 lineari obtusa costata et opposite pinnatim venosa dernum foliolis e costa incrassata plus minus denudata 

 erumpentibus composita, foliolis ovatis ellipticis oblongisve integerrimis costa dilatata percursis opposite 

 venosis et venulis microscopicis reticulatim anastomosantibus creberrime peragratis, fructu . . . ? 



Hab. On the beach, Preservation Harbour, West Coast, Middle Island, and east side of the Southern 

 Island, Lyall. 



Principal frond 6-8 inches long, 1 inch broad, linear-oblong, obtuse, with a strong cartilaginous midrib, which, 

 after being denuded of its membrane, is changed into a stout, naked, simple stem. From the midrib of the primary 

 frond spring, without order, numerous secondary fronds, 2-3 inches long, f-§ of an inch wide, the youngest ovate 

 or elliptical, the rest oblong or somewhat lanceolate- Apices mostly very blunt. Leaves very entire, flat, with broad, 

 but not prominent, midribs, closely feathered with opposite, parallel, slender veinlets, between which the membrane 

 is everywhere reticulated with microscopic, articulated veinlets, formed of cylindrical cells. Colour a rosy-purple. 

 Substance, when fresh, " stiff and elastic." In drying it adheres to paper. 



