VALONIACEAE. 
43 
Young and full grown specimens of the little Alga which constitutes the present 
genus are so unlike that they might readily pass for different entities. The frond 
originates in a dense mass of branching, horny-membranous, intricate, rooting fibres 
from which spring erect unicellular branches, or fronds. These are at first quite simple 
and naked ; but afterwards develope from their summit two or three very closely placed 
whorls of much branched ramelli, which form a dense, fasciculate capitulum. The frond 
is then mature and resembles a little tree; or perhaps, more justly, a little mop. The 
genus was founded by Montagne in 1842, by a separation from Penicillus. 
1. CuAMiEDORis annulata, Mont. An. Sc. Nat. Ser. 2, vol. 18, p. 261. Kiitz. Sp. 
Alg. p. 509. Nescea annulata , Lamour. Pol. Flex. p. 256. Corallina peniculum , Ell. 
and Sol. Zoop. p. 127, tab. 'I, fig. 5-8 and tab. 25, fig. 1. (Tab. XLII. B.) 
Hab. Key West, rare. W. H. H., Dr. Blodgett, (v. v.) 
Root composed of many branching and clasping, tufted fibres, which issue from the 
base and lower part of the stipes, and at length form a dense mat. Fronds tufted, 
2-3 inches high, nearly a line in diameter, tubular, simple, membranaceous or some- 
what horny, destitute of calcareous incrustation except in old age, when they are thinly 
coated toward the base ; cylindrical, annularly constricted at short intervals as if 
jointed, the internodes most apparent on old specimens, when the annular constric- 
tions are deeper. In the young state the frond consists merely of such an annulated 
tube, formed of a single cell. When this has attained the height of two or three inches, 
it ceases to grow longer ; a septum is formed just below the summit, and a new cell 
begins there to develope. This second cell is very short, and again divides, once or 
twice, vertically ; so that the original tubular cell (now to be called the stipe) is 
crowned with two or three minute cells, placed one above the other (Tab. XLII. ^<7. 3), 
the terminal one being attenuated and pointed. These cells remain short and rudimen- 
tary, but from their nodes dense whorls of ramelli begin to grow (fig. 4), which finally 
constitute a dense, mop-like capitulum. When fully grown the capitulum is an inch 
or more in diameter, globose, very dense, composed of innumerable, crowded and inter- 
woven, much branched, irregularly dichotomous, articulated filaments. The articulations 
are cylindrical, constricted at the nodes and many times longer than broad ; but 
variable in length. Colour , a bright, grass-green. Substance , membranaceous, rather 
rigid and tough, not adhering to paper in drying. Thin slices of the tube, when 
examined under the microscope, show concentric lines of growth, as in Dasycladus , &c. 
This plant is rare at Key West, and none of my specimens are fully grown. It is a 
native of the West Indian Islands. 
Plate XLII. B. Fig. 1. Chajoedoris annulata , the natural size. Fig. 2. A young, 
unicellular frond, previous to the formation of the capitulum. Fig. 3. Apex of a frond 
in a more advanced stage, showing the newly formed axial cells of the future capitulum. 
Fig. 4. Apex of a still more advanced young frond, with the capitulum beginning to be 
