2 Dr. R. K. Gveville on some new species of Caulcrpa. 



que attenuatisj oppositis, approximatis." The Indian plant, on 

 the contrary, is remarkably straggling and irregular in its habit ; 

 the pinna? remote, often interrupted, unequal in length, and in- 

 stead of being nearly horizontal are given off at a considerable 

 angle, with a decurrent base. Turner has well remarked of this 

 plant, that " young specimens are entirely destitute of pinnae, 

 and resemble in their naked filiform branches, as well as in 

 their colour, texture and substance, battered plants of Chara 

 flexilis. Judging from some of Dr. Wight's specimens, it is not 

 improbable that even older individuals may retain this form when 

 vegetating in situations unfavourable to their perfect develop- 

 ment. It may be added, that, as far as I am aware, the true 

 C. taocifolia is a native of the West Indies, while the Alga under 

 consideration has only been found in the Red Sea and in the 

 East Indies. 



Presuming then that Turner and Agardh are correct in regard- 

 ing our plant as the Fucus pinnatus of Linnseus, I venture to sug- 

 gest that it take its place in the genus as Caulerpa pinnaia. A 

 figure representing the frond in a somewhat younger state than 

 in Turner's work will be found in one of the plates which ac- 

 company this paper (PI. I.). 



Before I proceed to describe the remaining Caulerpm referred 

 to in Dr. Wight's collection, there is another Alga of which it is 

 desirable to take some notice in connexion with the preceding 

 species. This is a very beautiful plant which was communicated 

 to me by Professor Mertens, many years ago, as collected at the 

 island of St. Thomas in the West Indies, and likewise named 

 Fucus pinnatus of Linnseus. It is, nevertheless, as far removed 

 from Caulerpa pinnata above mentioned as from C. taxiformis. 

 It is closely and regularly pinnate, the pinnae oblong-obovate and 

 more or less falcate as in C, scalpelliformis, but (unlike those of 

 the latter) given off horizontally ; and the frond is besides truly 

 pinnate, not piuuatifid. For this plant I propose the following 

 character : — 



Caulerpa asplenioides (nobis) ; frondibus pinnatis, pinnis oppositis, 

 subhorizontalibus, obovato-oblongis, falcatis, obtusis, abrupte api- 

 culatis. 



Caulerpa taxifolia, var. crassifolia, Ag. 



Fucus pinnatus, \i, Mertens in litt. 



Although my friend Agardh has in his description of C. taxi- 

 folia quoted Turner's figure of Fucus pinnatus as a representation 

 of his variety crassifolia, I cannot help assuming that he included 

 our present plant also, for under Caulerpa scalpelliformis he re- 

 marks, " Simillima Caulerpse taxifolise, var. crassifolia;, sed di- 

 stincta fronde magis confluente, potiusque pinnatifida quam pin- 



