tubes, surrounded by a very narrow coating of cells. Capsules large, ovate, on 
short slender stalks. e¢raspores immersed in the ramuli. Colour of the 
stem dark red, of the ramuli vivid. The upper branches adhere closely to 
paper in drying, the lower part of the frond very imperfectly. 
AR 
The winter and summer aspects of a deciduous tree are not 
more different from each other than are specimens of this beau- 
tiful plant collected at opposite seasons. Our figure represents 
it when in perfection, as it is in spring and in the early months 
of summer, when its branches are clothed with abundant pencils 
of delicate rosy or blood-red ramuli. At a later period of the 
year these fall away, and the specimens collected in September 
or October are usually quite bare, the larger branches only re- 
maining ; and these in their nakedness and rigidity, with broken 
points and spine-like divaricating branches, have little resemblance 
to the plant of summer. Such specimens as survive the winter 
throw out with returning spring fresh pencils of branchlets, even 
in greater profusion than the first year. Such is also the case 
with P. elongata, which our P. elongella strongly resembles in 
miniature, but from which it may readily be known by the pel- 
lucid articulations visible in all parts of the plant, and by the 
ramuli not tapering to the base. Robust specimens of P. varie- 
gata have a habit very similiar to the present species, but may 
always be distinguished to the eye by their purple colour, and 
under the microscope, by the different structure of the joints 
which in P. elongella have but four principal tubes ; in P. varie- 
gata six, or sometimes seven. 
P. clongella is one of the many species the discovery of which 
is due to Mrs. Griffiths, from whose specimens it was described 
in the British Flora in 1832. Since that period it has been de- 
tected on several parts of our coasts, as well as on the Atlantic 
coast of France, and in the Adriatic Sea. Its nearest affinity is, 
perhaps, with P. dreviarticulata, a Mediterranean species. 
Mr. Pollexfen’s specimen from Orkney, differs from the usual 
form in being more distichous, and less zigzag in its branching ; 
but as there is no character in its jomts to distinguish it further, 
I am disposed to regard it as a local variety. 
Fig. 1. PoLysrepHoNIA ELONGELLA :—of the natural size. 2. Branchlet with 
tetraspores. 3. Apex of the same. 4. Branchlet with capsules. 5. A 
capsule. 6. Portion of the stem. 7%. Transverse section of a branch. 
8. Similar section of the stem :—al/ more or less magnified, 
