On the Pithophorace^e. 



7 



the system of ramification in Pithophoracece is upon the whole slightly 

 developed, when compared with what it is in most Cladophorece — in 

 no species branches occur of a higher degree than the 3:rd — and that the 

 species do form an unbroken series as to the ramification of the cauloid, 

 beginning with the species where the system of ramification possesses 

 branches only of the l:st degree, those being also single; continued by 

 species where branches exist sometimes of only one degree, sometimes 

 of two, and where the branches are partly single and partly opposite; 

 and completed by the species where the system of ramification contains 

 branches of three degrees, of which those belonging to the l:st are 

 verticillated, and those of the 2:d and 3:rd single or opposite. What 

 has now been said on the ramification of the cauloid has its strict and 

 full bearing only on the fertile specimens, i. e. those that carry spores. 

 In the sterile specimens, i. e. those that do not carry spores, the system 

 of ramication is generally somewhate more developed; thus, that the 

 sterile specimens, except of P. sumatrana (v. Mart.) nob. and P. Roett- 

 leri (Roth) nob. most frequently have branches of one degree more 

 than the fertile ones, and that the branches in the sterile specimens 

 occur oftener two and two opposite to each other than in the fertile ones. 

 Even in P. Roettleri (Roth) nob. the sterile specimens show a tendency 

 to richer ramification, having sometimes the branches of the l:st degree 

 not only three but even four in a whorl. Branches of a higher degree 

 than the 3:rd I have not observed, not even in sterile specimens. 



As to the place of the branches on the cells that support them, 

 it has already been mentioned, that they are, as a rule, attached a short 

 space below the top of their supporting cells. I may add here, that 

 the supporting cells are regularly either common chlorophylliferous 

 vegetative cells, or spores; only exceptionally they are subsporal cells — 

 i. e. cells placed immediately under the spores and being sister cells 

 of them — wanting chlorophyll. Branches, that have the position now 

 mentioned, ought to be regarded as normal. But besides these, bran- 

 ches are sometimes found which deserve, by their more accidental occur- 

 rence, the epithet accessorial. These are recognized by proceeding not 

 from the top but from another part, commonly the lower, of their sup- 

 porting cells (ph 1, fig. 4 ac; pi. 2, fig. 9 ac; pi. 4, fig. 7 ac; pi. 5, fig. 

 2 ac); compare what is said on ramification in the paragraph »Ger- 

 mination and Increase.)) 



That the branches on each individual supporting cell are most 

 frequently found single, but often also two and two opposite or almost 



