NEW SOUTH AFRICAN MABrSTI ALG^ 199 



S. hirta Donn. Varies greatly on Brandon, where it ranges 

 from about 2000 to 3110 ft. ; bnt it always keeps quite distinct from 

 the S. decipiens (S. palmata Sm.) of Twll Du, Carnarvonshire, the 

 Aran Isles, and other Irish stations, and also from the Black Head 

 (co. Clare , <kc., species known to us as S. Stembergii ; I have all 

 three growing, and no one could consider them identical. As yet 

 I have seen this only from Ireland, and it may be endemic there, 

 though Engler (Mon. Sax. p. 188) makes it a synonym of S. 

 Stembergii : indeed, his treatment of this series leaves much to 

 be desired, and the various forms cannot reasonably be grouped 

 under a species collect iva (S. decipiens Ehrh.), as he has done. 

 Pending further study, I pass over the other critical Brandon 

 plants : merely remarking that what I suppose to be S. caspitosa 

 Mackay (non L.) is evidently a true species, which as yet I have 

 seen from no other station. 



Taraxacum spectahile Dahbt. Common on Brandon (up to 

 2500 ft.) and Connor Hill : also seen near Lough Camelatm. Pro- 

 bably general on the Kerry Mountains, and exactly hke the plant 

 of the Scottish Highlands. It was mostly quite past flower at 

 the time of our visit, except at the higher levels ; from T.palustre 

 DC, which I failed to find, it can at once be separated by its deep 

 orange-yeUow flowers and hairy leaves, which are also more 

 mncinate and irregularly cut, as well as by the absence of a 

 rather broad hyahne border from the outer phyUaries. Not pre- 

 viously recorded from Ireland, I think, though it mtist have been 

 gathered. 



Jasione montana L. The only form observed by me in this 

 district is the larger, biennial plant called var. major by Mertens 

 and Koch, which ascends to 2(XX) ft. or more on Brandon. 



Isoetes lacustris forma longifolia strictior Caspary. Abundant 

 at the north-east end of Lough Camelaun, in two to four or five 

 feet of water ; I did not see the normal plant here, though it 

 was gathered in Lough Doon, and in a muddy pool, high up, on 

 Brandon. Mr. Arthur Bennett, who kindly named it for me, 

 pointed out some marks of difference from I. Morei {I. lacustris 

 var. maxima Blytt = var. Morei S}*me; : but Prof. Hugo Gltick, 

 who examined my specimens, remarked that it was very like the 

 Wicklow var. Morei, as observed by him in the unusually dry 

 summer of last year. It varied from seven to fourteen inches 

 (or more) in length. 



NEW SOUTH AFKICAN M.IEINE ALGiE. 

 By W. Tyson. 



Through the courtesy of Major Reinbold I am permitted to 

 pubHsh the following three descriptions, which he kindly sent to 

 me, 01 seaweeds new to science : — 



Rhabdonia natalensis, n. sp. E. radice fibrosa surgens 

 coccinea. teretiuscula. ultra setacea, usque 15-20 cm. alta, irregu- 



