WKANGELIACE^. 161 



Wrangelia multifida. Many-cut Wrangelia. 



Fronds jointed throughout, growing in tufts, from four to 

 eight inches high ; stem generally undivided ; internodes 

 formed of a single, cylindrical, thick-walled cell, filled with 

 carmine endochrome; branches opposite, inserted just below 

 each node ; branchlets opposite or whorled, incurved, mul- 

 tifid, pervading every part of the frond. Spore-clusters 

 arranged, several together, in globular masses of involucral 

 branchlets at the tips of short branches; tetraspores 

 roundish, tripartite, on the lower part of the branchlets. 



This very delicate and pretty species grows in rock- 

 pools near low- water mark. It occurs in several locali- 

 ties on our south coast, in the west of Ireland, and in the 

 Channel Islands. I have frequently gathered it in Jersey, 

 but never in large quantities. Mr. John Gatcombe, of 

 Plymouth, from whom I recently received some very in- 

 teresting specimens in a young state, mentions a fact 

 connected with this plant that has not, so far as I am 

 aware, been observed before. He writes, " Wrangelia 

 can be detected immediately when first gathered by its 

 peculiar smell." 



Genus LXVIII. NACCABIA. 



Frond much branched, composed of many-sided cells of 

 different sizes, those in the centre large, those on the sur- 

 face minute ; tubular axis slender, " girt with rounded an- 

 gular cells, formed with the decurrent fibres ;" branches 

 forked. Spore-threads whorled round the branchlets, 

 which become spindle-shaped as the spores mature ; tetra- 

 spores unknown. — Nacoaeia, named in honour of F. L. 

 Naccari, an Italian botanist. 



This is another genus whose affinities have been 



M 



