208 SEA MOSSES. 



Phyllophora membranifolia,* Ag. 



This is the more common species of the two which 

 are natives of our waters. It especially loves the 

 warmer seas, though it is reported as not uncommon 

 on our northern shores. Mrs. Davis collects it at 

 Magnolia, and Mr. Collins at Revere. I found it at 

 Newport and Wood's Holl, in great abundance, especially 

 at the last named place. It grows in deep water on 

 pebbles and rocks. From an expanded disk upon 

 the stone, fifteen or twenty cylindrical fronds some- 

 times arise in a bunch. At the height of half an inch 

 they begin an irregular branching. 



The branches are short and stiffs and stumpy. Some 

 of them soon expand into various sized wedge-shaped 

 leaflets, from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch 

 long ; others appear merely flattened and then truncated ; 

 others bear the minute lobes of young sprouting leaf- 

 lets. The typical leaflets are once or twice lobed or 

 forked. The plants grow from one and one-half to 

 six inches high, of a clear red color, and the old ones 

 are often incrusted with parasites, patches of polyzcm 

 or of calcarious Algae. It is a perennial. 

 Phyllophora Brodi^i, Ag. 



This is said to be very common in deep water at 



* Mepibranifolia = A membraneous leaf. 



