RHODOSPERME. 223 
exactly like one of the most delicately branched exotic ferns in miniature. 
This lovely species grows abundantly at Plymouth, at Falmouth, and also in 
its former habitat here in the Torquay harbour. The graceful filaments 
of this plant are from 2in. to 5in. long. The stems of the branches are 
~ very slender, and are set in alternate series along the main stems. All the 
branches are bi-tripinnate, or furnished with an opposite row of branchlets, 
from which spring short pointed ramuli, some of which are branched, or 
bear a second, and sometimes even a third series of lesser ramuli or 
pinnule. No figure could possibly do justice to such minute and delicate 
branching as we behold in this species ; I must, therefore, be content to 
refer the reader to a and b, in Fig. 202, which represent, severally, 
magnified plumules, showing the form and position of the clustered favelle 
and the tetraspores, the latter being a transformation of the terminal joints 
of shortened pinnules. The colour is a full rose-red, being much paler 
when the plant produces favelle, which appear like little dark red spots 
on the stems and branches. C. thuyoidewm, like a cypress in miniature, 
has a strong resemblance to thé young state of the foregoing plant. Its 
densely branched little fronds rarely exceed 2in. in height ; but, except in 
some minor particulars, the ramification is so similar to that of C. 
gracillimum, that experienced algologists are now and then at a loss to 
decide between them. The branches are, however, shorter, and the 
plumules are set closer together, and the joints throughout the plant are 
proportionately thicker or broader. The tetraspores are produced in 
exactly the same position as those of the preceding, but the favelle are 
very different, being bi-lobed, and thrown out from the under side near the 
base of the pinnules ; those of C. gracillimwm being, as described, produced 
in clusters on the branches or at the junction of two articulations near the 
base of a branched plumule. This rare little annual has been found in 
widely-separated situations in England and Ireland. I have taken it in 
Torbay and at Plymouth ; specimens from the latter place being always of 
a fine rose red. The substance is very soft and tender, and the plant 
adheres very well to paper. Section 4, Corymbosa, contains only two 
British species, the stems of which are distinctly articulated, the lower 
joints of one of these species being, however, traversed by dark-coloured 
veins ; the ramuli are dichotomous, or branched by more or less numerous 
forkings. C.spongioswm, so called originally from the spongy appearance 
of its excessively crowded and matted tufts of ultimate ramuli, is now 
named C. granulatum, in reference to its abundant granular or tetrasporic 
fruit. This curious species is found during the summer on the shady side 
of submarine rocks at low-water mark. Its densely-branched fronds, which 
are rarely over 4in. high, bear a striking similarity to those of the northern 
species, C. arbuscula; and it appears that our C. granulatum occupies the 
place of C. arbuscula on shores where the latter is not found, never grow- 
ing together, in fact, though, as observed by Dr. Harvey, ‘‘both affect 
similar situations on different shores.’ My own experience concerning 
these peculiar species perfectly agrees with these remarks of Professor 
