Contribution. I. 17 



to /. patens. It differs, however, by the outermost branches 

 forming rather dense corymb clusters, whose secondary bran- 

 ches are short and somewhat robust, hooked backwards or 

 angular, closely compact and often connected with one ano- 

 ther by peculiar fastening organs. I suppose it to be the 

 same form mentioned by Kjellman from Nordland in N. Ish. 

 Algfl. p. 153, and besides that it has also been found at 

 Haugesund. At East-Finmarken it occurred on an iron buoy, 

 which had been laid out in August, 1885, and was put on 

 shore for cleaning in the summer 1887. The specimens had 

 a length of 9 — 14 cm. and were richly sporocarp-bearing in 

 the middle of July. Some of them are more nearly related 

 to a distans than to (5 fasciculata. On the other hand, this 

 form reminds of f. typica and sometimes approaches it nearly 

 by its branches being more or less erect. 



The other forms above citied also occur at Finmarken, 

 but by no means distinctly marked out. I have certainly 

 met with specimens which almost fully coincide with Poly- 

 siphonia patens Aresch. Alg. Scand. exsicc. Ser. 1, No. 58, 

 which, according to J. G. Agardh is identic with f. formosa, 

 but I consider merely an intermediate form between f. typica 

 and f. formosa, resembling the former by its more or less 

 erect (or sometimes patent, not recurvated) branches, and the 

 latter by its flaccidity. The most characteristic of these 

 forms at East-Finmarken is f. roseola, which, however, is 

 more densely branched, somewhat coarser, more flaccid and 

 the lateral branches more erect than the above quoted spe- 

 cimens distributed by Aresch oug andWyatt. It closely re- 

 sembles the habit-figure in H a r v e ys Phyc. Brit. t. 168. I 

 have referred to f. comosa some specimens, which resemble 

 f. roseola except that they are rather rigid and straight in 

 the lower part of the frond. The forms are very variable 

 with reference to the length of the cells. 



The present species is litoral as well as sublitoral. Best 



