SOME OBSERYATIONS ON THE 



Propagation of Cymodogea antargtiga (Undl) 



By J. a. O. Teppee, F.L.S., London ; Memb. Bot. Yerein, 

 Brandenburg ; Corr. Memb. 



[Read December 7, 1880.] 

 Plate I. 



The remarkable plant, whicb forms the subject o£ this paper, 

 belongs to the order of Naiadeae among Monocotyledons, and 

 assists in considerable numbers to form the submarine meadows 

 near Ardrossan and elsewhere in the Gulf of St. Vincent. 

 They extend from just below low-water mark of spring tides 

 to considerable depths beyond. 



The principal plant of these meadows, during the months of 

 September, October, and November, is another of the same 

 order, viz., Posidonia australis, flowering copiously during the 

 first two months, and fruiting in the latter, the seeds being 

 ripe and shed in December. During life it resembles some of 

 the Cyperacea?, especially Lepidosperma, in general form of 

 leaf, stalk, flower, except that the leaves are rounded at the 

 apex, and are not stiff, but the fruits are much larger. A third 

 associate is Zostera nana, which is much smaller and grass-like. 



All three are found among the refuse masses of marine 

 vegetation fringing the beaches, the main bulk of which is 

 supplied by JPosidonia, and are popularly included among " sea- 

 weeds." 



While the two last-named plants much resemble each other" 

 in general outline, the first, Cymodocea antarctica, is very dif- 

 ferent in this respect, and easily recognised. Its creeping 

 main stem is held fast in and below the soft mud by very 

 numerous slender rootlets, and sends up from its joints second- 

 ary upright stems in succession. These are very slender, like 

 thin whipcord, and consist, as well as the long thin branches, 

 of short joints or rings, caused by the successive dropping off 

 of the leaves. These again divide into numerous branchlets, 

 each carrying a tuft of crowded leaves, with concave semilunar 

 extremities (figs. 1 and 5) ; a short appendage to the stalk 

 (about one-fourth of an inch), fitting closely to its upper or 

 inner side, with projecting lateral points (fig. 5), renders its 

 base double, and thus strengthens it. About one-eighth of an 

 inch below the upper end of this appendage is ahinge-like 

 joint in the leaf, allowing it free and easy motion at right 



