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XLY. 



ON TWO NEW SPECIES OE PHYCOPELTIS EEOM NEW 

 ZEALAND. Et A. YAUGHAN JENNINGS, E.L.S., F.G.S., 



Demonstrator of Botany and Geology in the Eoyal College of 

 Science for Ireland. Plates XXYIII. and XXIX. 



(communicated by db. e. p. weight.) 



[Read December 9, 1895.] 



The Trentepohliacese are a family of aerial algae, better known to 

 English Botanists as Chroolepidese,^ characterized by the possession 

 of a yellow colouring matter (Haemato chrome),^ in addition to the 

 Chlorophyll. They possess sporangia which are sometimes enlarged 

 cells of the filaments (kugelsporangia of Karsten), at other times 

 carried on special pedicels (hakensporangia). Swarm-spores with two 

 cilia are developed in these sporangia and give rise to new plants after 

 conjugation. 



The greater part of the species are small filamentous forms, of a 

 yellow, yellowish green, or red colour, growing on rocks or trees, in 

 all parts of the world. 



The common TrentepoJiUa aurea of our own country presents a 

 striking appearance on the granitic rocks of Dartmoor or North Wales 

 and grows in greater luxuriance among the hot springs of Rotorua ; ^ 

 while the bright red patches of Trentepohlia iolithus, with their 

 characteristic smell of violets, are equally familiar to the tourist in 

 the Black Eorest and the coach-passengers from Greymouth to 

 Pteefton. 



These filamentous forms may all be included in the single genus 

 Trentepohlia, of which numerous species have been described by 

 Agardh, Kiitzing and others. 



It is only recently that botanists have recognised the existence of 



1 The name Chroolepus was introduced by Agardh (Systema Algarum, Lundai^) 

 in 1824; but the genus Trentepohlia had been previously established by Martius 

 (Flora Cryptogamica Erlangensis, Norimbergae, 1817). 



- " Chlororufin" of Rostafinski. 



-Kirk — Trans. New Zealand Inst., vol. v., 1872. 



