— 280 — 



Kütz. (S o 1 m s - L a u b a c h , 1. c. p. 25) a rather dubious species as S o ] m s 

 has already alluded to. M. Howe on the faith of some original 

 specimens in Kützing's Herbarium has referred this species to A. 

 crenulata, being most probably founded on few and badly deve- 

 loped specimens. On the other hand A. caraibica Kütz. also greatly 

 resembles A. Caliculus and related forms, a fact Solms points out 

 when writing: "On the other hand, it may resemble the following 

 form (A. Suhrii) very much if the apiculum disappears; indeed Agardh 

 has united them, as appears from his diagnosis; however, they are 

 to be distinguished by the number and positions of the coronal 

 segments". As to the last remark of Solms, referring to M. Howe's 

 paper 1. c, I may point out that in a specimen from the Museum 

 of Berlin and without locality, determined by Solms as A. carai- 

 bica, three and four hair-scars were found whereas this species 

 according to Solms is said to have only two hair-scars. 



Another closely related species, if it is specifically different from 

 A. Caliculus, is A. Suhrii of which I have had authentic material 

 from the Botanical Museum in Berlin for comparison. 



The reason why this species especially is said to be different 

 from A. Caliculus is, according to Solms, that the segments of the 

 corona superior have about four hair-insertions and that the rays 

 in the disc are united by calcification of the side-walls, but com- 

 pletely separate after treatment with acid, whereas A. Caliculus 

 according to Solms has the segments of the corona superior with 

 two hair-insertions and the rays even in the living state separate 

 and free. As to the last point I have already shown that this 

 character is scarcely of much importance. And as to the hair- 

 insertions I would also remark that there can scarcely be much 

 difference; in two original specimens from the Botanical Museum 

 in Berlin which I have examined I as a rule found 3 hair-scars in 

 the segments which I saw most distinctly, in one I only saw two; 

 several of the segments were somewhat shrivelled and some of 

 them may have had 4 scars. Even then the difference is not so 

 great, as A. Caliculus, according to Solms, sometimes has three 

 scars which were also sometimes found in my specimens. In the 

 number of the rays also, Solms says that there is some difference, 

 as in the A. Suhrii we have 25 — 30 as compared with A. Caliculus 

 which only has 22 — 25. To this I may remark that in my material 

 of the last named species I have found specimens with up to 31 

 rays, most frequently they had about 27. The specimen 1 have 



