It was with much pleasure that I received, in the summer of 
1846, from my friend Mr. Rohloff, a specimen of this interesting 
and beautiful species, which he was so fortunate as to discover 
in that year; and I have to thank him, as well as my friends 
Mr. Hore and Dr. Cocks, for a liberal supply of specimens 
gathered in several localities near Plymouth, in the summer and 
autumn of 1847. It appears to be an abundant species in that 
neighbourhood, where it grows im the greatest luxuriance. As 
yet no other locality in Britain has been recorded, but it 
will probably hereafter be found in similar situations on the 
south coast of England, and south and west of Ireland. The 
favourite locality of this plant seems to be mud-banks, or mud- 
covered rocks. It requires some algological zeal to hunt over 
such ground,—which, to many collectors, would appear little 
likely to yield anything so beautiful; yet such ground is very 
favourable to the growth of many of this genus, and of the 
finest Calhithamnia. 
No species need be more distinct than this is. Its habit is 
very like that of P. elongella, it is true, but the purple colour 
affords an obvious character; while the siz tubes of the stem 
furnish an important distinction from that, and all other British 
species yet known. 
P. variegata is widely dispersed through the warmer latitudes 
of the Atlantic, and abounds on certain parts of the Mediterra- 
nean and Adriatic shores. Indeed, where it establishes itself, 
it generally occurs in quantity. At Venice it is the commonest 
of the genus; but Venetian specimens are greatly inferior in size 
and beauty to some of their Plymouth brethren. ‘Those which 
I have received from Dr. Bailey of New York are nearest to the 
luxuriance of the latter. 
My friend Dr. Montagne contends that the specific name 
peucedanoides, wider which this plant was described by Bonne- 
maison, in the same year that Agardh published it under the 
name here adopted, should be preferred. It has only this incon- 
venience, the changing a name now universally known, for one 
which is little known, and of which the priority, its only recom- 
mendation, is disputable. We have no proof that Agardh was 
acquainted with Bonnemaison’s synonyme at the time he published 
the ‘Systema.’ 
Fig. 1. PoLys1pHONIA VARIEGATA :—of the natural size. 2. Apex of a branch, 
with lateral ramuli. 3. A ramulus. 4. Portion of a branch. 5. Portion- 
of the stem. 7, 8. Sections of branch. 9. Section of old stem :—al/ more 
or less highly magnified. 
