Ser. RHoposPERMEA. Fam. Rhodomelee. 
Puate CCIX. 
POLYSIPHONIA VIOLACEA, Grev. 
Gen. Cuar. Frond filamentous, partially or generally articulate ; joints 
longitudinally striate, composed of numerous radiating cells or tubes, 
disposed round a central cavity. Hructification two-fold, on different 
individuals ; 1, ovate capsules (ceramidia), furnished with a terminal 
pore and containing a tuft of pear-shaped spores; 2, ¢etraspores, 
imbedded in swollen branchlets. PotystpHonta (Grev.) — from 
modus, many, and super, a tube. 
PoLYsIPHONTA violacea; brownish red or purple ; stem inarticulate, marked 
with irregular cells, rather robust, alternately branched; branches 
quadrifarious, decomposed, bushy or feathery, the ultimate ramuli 
exceedingly slender, alternately multifid, fibrilliferous ; articulations 
of the ramuli bi-striate, two to four times longer than broad ; siphons 
four; capsules ovate, pedicellate or sessile; tetraspores in swollen, 
sub-moniliform ramuli. 
PotysipHonta violacea, Grev.—Wyatt, Alg. Danm. no. 176. Harv. Man. 
p- 92 (not of Harv.in Brit. Fl. vol.ii. p. 332). Kiitz. Phye. Gen. p. 421. 
(no. 34) and p. 426 (no. 74). Endl. 3rd Suppl. p. 46. 
Hurcurnsta violacea, Ag. Syn. p. 54. Lyngb. Hyd. Dan, p. 112. t. 35 (quoad 
partem) £.B. Ag. Syst. p.150. Ag. Sp. Alg. vol. ii. p. 76. 
Has. On rocks and stones, and on the smaller Algze, near low water 
mark. Annual. May and June. Not uncommon. Torbay, Mrs. 
Griffiths. Salcombe, Mrs, Wyatt. Falmouth Harbour, Miss Warren. 
Most abundant at Carnarvon, Mr. Ra/fs. Beggar’s Island, Plymouth, 
Mr. Rohloff. Belfast Lough, Dr. Drummond. Roundstone, Mr. 
M ‘Calla. Howth, Miss Gower. Ferriter’s Cove, Kerry, Mr. Andrews. 
Geogr. Distr. Shores of Northern Europe generally. 
Descr. Root, a small disc. Fronds from six to ten inches long or more, with a 
principal stem which varies in diameter from the thickness of a hog’s 
bristle to twice that thickness, and is divided in an irregularly alternate 
manner. Branches quadrifarious, repeatedly compounded, till there results 
a bushy or feathery, closely branched frond, each division of which becomes 
more and more slender and flaccid, and the whole at length terminates in 
an abundance of slender capillary ramuli, which are long and subsimple, 
sparingly branched near the top, and generally terminated by a tuft of 
byssoid fibres. Stem and principal branches inarticulate, their siphons 
being coated externally with a thick stratum of irregular cells. Ramuli 
articulate; the articulations two-tubed, the lower ones four times, the 
upper twice as long as broad. Ceramidia ovate, abundant on the ramuli, 
frequently pedunculate. Zetraspores imbedded in swollen ramuli, roundish. 
Colour, brown red, more or less purple, and frequently assuming a fine 
