IV. 
DICTYOTACEflE. — Soranthera. — Asperococcus. 
117 
IX. SORANTHERA, Post, and Rupr. 
“ Frond membranaceous, olive-green, simple, flat, dilated, entire. Fructification : 
Antheridia pear-shaped, vaginate, mixed with club-shaped jointed threads, and 
aggregated in roundish sori scattered over the whole frond.” 
1 . Soranthera ulvoidea , Post, and Rupr. Illustr. p. 19. J. Ag. Sp. Alg. vol. 1 , 
p. 120. Kiitz. Sp. Alg. p. 556. 
Hab. Island of Sitclia, Russian America, parasitical on Rhodomela larix. ( Pos - 
tells and Ruprecht). 
“ Lamina membranaceous, olive-green, sub-rotund, plaited, in the two specimens 
seen not more than an inch in breadth ; the margin very entire, not thickened, nor 
distinctly revolute. The whole lamina so densely covered with roundish tubercles, 
a quarter of a line in diameter, and prominent on botli surfaces, that scarcely any 
intersticial spaces of more than a line in breadth remain sterile. The tubercles are 
composed of an assemblage of heterogeneous antheridia, and considered as sori ; in 
the dry state they collapse and become harder and brown. The dried lamina is 
thinly membranous, scarcely loses colour, and does not adhere to paper.” — Post, and 
Rupr. Of this plant I know nothing. It seems, to judge by the above description, 
to be related to Punctaria , if distinguishable from that genus. 
X. ASPEROCOCCUS, Lamour. 
Root a small, naked disc. Frond tubular, cylindrical or inflated, rarely compressed ? 
membranaceous, unbranched and inarticulate. Fructification minute, dot-like sori , 
scattered over the whole surface, and containing roundish, sessile spores , accompanied 
by a few short, club-shaped, jointed paranemata. 
This genus differs from Punctaria in having a tubular or inflated, instead of a 
flat frond. Asperococcus sinuosus departs in habit from the typical species, but 
seems to be identical in structure or nearly so. A. clathratus of authors is, in my 
opinion, sui generis. 
1. Asperococcus echinatus , Grev. ; frond cylindrical, club-shaped, obtuse, much 
attenuated at the base. Harv. Phyc. Brit. t. 194. Grev. Crypt. FI. t. 290. J. Ag. 
Sp. Alg. vol. 1 . p. 76. Enccelium, echinatum, Ag. — Kiitz. Sp. Alg. p. 552. 
