122 RHODYMENIACEjE. 



line : and many, especially of the section Calophyllis (typi- 

 fied by R. laciniata] are among the most splendidly coloured 

 of crimson and carmine Alga3. Others, as R. Hombroniana, 

 are clothed in royal purple ; while others, like the sober 

 dulse of our coasts (R. palmatd) have often nearly as much 

 of brown as of purple in their attire. The " dulse," whose 

 "crimson leaves" an American poet compares to 



" a banner bathed in slaughter," 



is probably R. laciniata, a species by no means dulse (dulcis). 

 Stenogramme, though with but two species, inhabits two 

 great oceans; one of its species being a native of the shores 

 of California, the other of Portugal and the South of 

 England. Sph&rococcus is equally scattered, if <S". crinitus, 

 a Kamtschalkan plant, is a congener with our S. coronopi- 

 folius. The Gracilarite extend from high latitudes to the 

 tropics, and our G. confervoides and G. multipartita are 

 among the commonest tropical Alga?. Hypnea, typified by 

 H. musciformis, is chiefly tropical, and is a very common 

 form throughout the tropical oceans. 



I have altered the name of this order, not merely for 

 the sake of euphony, but because Sphaerococcus does not 

 correctly typify the structure of the great bulk of the plants 

 composing the order. I have some doubts whether SphaR- 

 roccus should not be transferred to Cryptonemiacece, and 

 placed near Gelidium, an affinity already suggested by 

 M. Montagne. Both orders require a thorough revision, 

 which would probably lead to the transfer of some genera 

 from one to the other, and perhaps the establishment of one 

 or more new orders. 



Many of the Rhodymeniacete are valuable in an economic 

 sense. On our own shores R. palmata, the Dulse of the 

 Scotch and Dillisk of the Irish, is largely collected on many 

 parts of the coast ; and in the west of Ireland it forms an im- 

 portant item in the household condiments. It is frequently 

 the only relish eaten with the potato, serving for salt and 

 butter. It is even brought to market in the inland towns, 

 forming a common article on the huckster's stall ; and I re- 

 member to have heard it cried about the streets of Limerick, 

 with the recommendation bawled out in sonorous brogue, 

 "'Twill kill the worms and cure the ladies ! " Many of the 

 Gracilariffi are largely used in the East as ingredients 

 in soups and jellies, and also as substitutes for glue. One of 



