SPOROCHNUS CARPOMITRA. 25 



south. Frith of Forth, Mr. Hassell. Ardthur, Capt. Carmichael. Wick- 

 low and Downshire coasts. Fronds, several from the same base, 6 inches 

 to nearly 3 feet long, very slender, once or twice pinnated ; pinnae distant, 

 opposite, or rarely alternate, patent, simple, or again pinnated with similar 

 simple pinnules; all the branches furnished, at intervals of from half a 

 line to a line, with minute joint-like swellings or knobs, which are whorled 

 with very delicate, branched, jointed, confervoid filaments, of a pale green 

 colour. Substance of the branches cartilaginous, soon becoming flaccid. 

 Fructification : minute, articulated, lanceolate pods, which are finally 

 much elongated and contracted at the joints in a moniliform manner, and 

 containr at maturity in each joint a well-formed oval sporule, of an olive 

 colour, which finally breaks through the membrane and falls away. These 

 pods are borne by the jointed fibres, several often together, in a secund 

 manner. The credit of having first pointed out this fructification, which, 

 now that it has been observed, is found to be very common, is due to the 

 Rev. M. J. Berkeley. 



FAMILY 2. SPOROCHNE^E. 



III. SPOROCHNUS. Ag. [Plate 5, A.] 



Frond filiform, solid, cellular, the axis more dense. Fruc- 

 tification : lateral, crested, stalked receptacles, composed of 

 horizontal, branching filaments, whorled round a central axis, 

 and producing obovate spores. Crest deciduous, consisting 

 of byssoid, jointed fibres. Name, trwopos, a seed, and %vooj, 

 wool; because tufts of fibres accompany the fructification. 



1. S. pedunculatus, EJuds.; stem undivided; branches late- 

 ral, long, simple, horizontal; receptacles elliptical. Grev. 

 Ala. Brit. p. 41, t. 6; Hook. Br. Fl. ii. p. 274; E. Bot. t. 

 545 ; Wyatt, Ala. Danm. No. 104 ; Harv. Phyc. Brit. t. Ivi. 



On submarine substances, about low-water mark, and in 4 10 fathom 

 water. Annual. Summer. Not uncommon on the eastern and southern 

 shores of England and Ireland. Frith of Forth. Stem 6 18 inches long, 

 filiform, quite simple, closely set throughout its length with long slender 

 branches. Colour at first a full olive-brown, soon changing to a yellow- 

 green on exposure. 



IV. CARPOMITRA. Kiitz. [Plate 5, B.] 



Frond filiform, or flat and midribbed, subdichotomous, cel- 

 lular, the axis more dense. Fructification : mitriform recep- 

 tacles terminating the branches, composed of horizontal 

 branching filaments whorled round a vertical axis, and pro- 

 ducing elliptic-oblong spores. Name, xapTtof, fruit, and 

 cap or mitre. 



