264 SEA MOSSES. 



from it in several well marked particulars. It is 

 much finer in all its parts, and shows to the naked 

 eye no main stem and branches, which are much 

 thicker than the ultimate ramifications. To be sure, 

 the general habit of the plant and the method of 

 branching is much the same as that of C. Borreri, 

 but the ultimate ramuli are no more than half as long, 

 or as thick. Indeed, the whole plant is almost as 

 fine as a spider's thread. 



The color is a less brilliant red than that of C. 

 Borreri, and approaches much nearer that of C. 

 corymbosuniy a dark or brownish red. But it will 

 not be confounded with the latter, for that is a coarser 

 plant even than C. Borreri. 



The plant grows to the height of two or three 

 inches, in dense tufts. As above indicated, it is ex- 

 cessively fine and flaccid, collapsing into a clot when 

 drawn from the water. No leading stem or branches 

 will be easily detected in the mounted plant, without 

 the aid of a glass. But the various directions which 

 the main branches take will be easily seen by the 

 finely pinnated ends, which they put out beyond the 

 principal mass of the frond, forming beautiful little 

 plumules, or the tops of pyramids. 



It grows during the summer upon Zostera, and 

 other sub-marine plants and rocks, below low-tide. 



