and large growing from the same point, attenuated at the base into a 
slender stalk ; favelle two or three together, sessile at the apex of an arti- 
culation, lateral, occupying the place of a suppressed branch of the stem, 
surrounded by short ramuli; each containing numerous ellipsoid granules. 
Colour a fine rosy crimson, freely given out in fresh water. Sudbstance 
gelatinous and lubricous, closely adhering to paper in drying. Smell strong 
and peculiarly disagreeable. 
This is one of those beautiful and not very nucommon plants 
which can scarcely fail to attract the notice of the observer who 
has once made the marine flora his study. We consequently 
find it among the species which soonest attracted notice. It is 
one of the few marine Conferve figured by Dillenius, and having 
a place in the early editions of Linneus. The clear red of its 
glossy, beaded fronds is well expressed in the specific name 
corallina, bestowed on it from an early period. 
Few of our Ceramiee have a wider range than Grifithsia 
corallina. It is found in every part of the European waters 
from the shores of Iceland to those of Italy, and I have received 
magnificent specimens from the shores of Van Dieman’s Land. 
These last are so much larger and stronger than the majority of 
British grown fronds, that I at one time considered them distinct, 
and described them under the name G. fladelliformis; but on 
comparing them afresh with a suite of specimens, and especially 
with some very fine ones from the West of Ireland, I find that 
the distinctions formerly insisted on cannot be maintained. A 
considerable difference in the amount of upward-swelling of the 
joints exists in different specimens. This character is generally 
more developed in the larger than in the small individuals. 
Fig. 1. GRIFFITHSIA CORALLINA :—of the natural size. 2. Portion of a branch 
with tetraspore-involucres. 3. One of the involucres. 4. Tetraspores. 
5. Portion of a branch with favelle. 6. Favelle, with involucral ramuli :— 
all more or less magnified. 
