50 
THE CONSERVATORY. 
jointed, one-tubed, mostly pinnate, (rarely 
dichotomous or irregular ;) dissepiments hya- 
line. Fruit : 1, external tetraspores, with 
colourless borders, scattered along the ulti- 
mate branchlets, or borne on little pedicels ; 
2, roundish or lobed berry-like receptacles 
(favellce), seated on the main branches, and 
containing numerous seeds. 
" Callithajinion gracilUmum ; frond dis- 
tichously branched, fan-shaped ; stems capil- 
lary, decomposito-pinnate ; upper plumules 
long, narrow, ovate or lanceolate, spreading, 
bi-tri-pinnate ; joints of the stem cylindrical, 
three or four times, of the pinna? two or three 
times longer than broad, yeinless ; tetraspores 
borne on the tips of the pinnules. 
" Callithamnion gracillimum, Ag. Sp. 
Alg. vol. ii. p. 168. Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. 
vol. ii. p. 345. Wyalt.Alfj.Danm.TiQ .45. Endl. 
3rd Suppl. p. 34. Kutz. Phijc. Gen. p. 372. 
" Hab. Very rare. On mud-covered per- 
pendicular rocks, near low-water mark. An- 
nual. Summer. On the pier at Torquay, .Mrs. 
Griffiths. Milford Haven, Mr. Ralfs. Fal- 
mouth, Miss Warren. 
" Geogk. Diste. Atlantic coast of France, 
Grateloup. South and West of England. 
". Desc. Fronds tufted, 1-4 inches high, 
exceedingly slender, distichous, irregularly 
branched ; main branches rather few, simple, 
1-2 inches long, unequally but closely plumu- 
late along their whole length, having an ovate 
or lanceolate figure, and all attenuated at the 
point. Lower plumules short, vaguely pin- 
nate ; upper elongate, lanceolate, spreading, 
bi-tri-pinnate. All the divisions alternate, and 
a branchlet usually springing from every joint. 
The colour, when quite recent, is a deep red, 
becoming rose-red in fresh water, and if kept 
long in that medium the frond discharges a 
quantity of brilliant carmine powder, which 
permanently stains paper. Tetraspores very 
minute, elliptical, borne on the tips of short- 
ened pinnula?. Favellce roundish or irregu- 
larly lobed, springing from the larger branches. 
Substance delicately membranaceous and flac- 
cid, closely adhering to paper. 
" This extremely elegant plant, perhaps 
truly the most graceful of the very beautiful 
genus to which it belongs, was first gathered 
on the shores of France by M. Grateloup, who 
communicated specimens to the elder Agardh, 
by whom it was published in the year 1828. 
Shortly afterwards the indefatigable Mrs. 
Griffiths discovered magnificent specimens 
growing along the mud-covered base of the 
harbour pier at Torquay, in which locality it 
may be found in more or less plenty every 
summer. More recently it has been found in 
Wales and Cornwall. From Mrs. Griffiths it 
received the very appropriate name of " Fern- 
leaf" aptly expressing the finely pinnated 
character of the branches, which do indeed 
closely resemble fairy ferns, so delicate that it 
is altogether impossible in a figure to do jus- 
tice to their beauty. Our representation of 
the natural size must therefore be regarded as 
merely giving the general effect of a specimen 
held at arm's length from the eye. 
" As a species, it is very closely related to 
Cal. thuyoideum, with which it agrees in many 
characters, but from which it may be known 
by the greater proportionate length and breadth 
of the plumules, their more distichous arrange- 
ment and closer position; the shorter and more 
cylindrical joints of the main branches, and 
larger size of the frond. Both species agree 
in producing their tetraspores on the tips of 
the ultimate ramuli, a character by which they 
differ from all other British species with de- 
compound-pinnate fronds." 
The plate represents the plant of the natural 
size ; and the following parts magnified : a 
plumule ; ramulus with tetraspores ; ramulus 
with a favella ; portion of a favella ruptured, 
and discharging seed ; and tetraspores re- 
moved and dissected. All these are most 
beautifully and delicately executed. 
In this way is it proposed to figure and de- 
scribe all the genera and species of sea-weeds, 
opening an entirely new field of study to the 
naturalist, and a fund of entertainment and 
interest for thousands, whose fancy will only 
lead them to collect and arrange them. It is a 
work fully worthy of the Botanist's attention ; 
and nobody, who can assist the author with 
rare specimens, should, on any account, neglect 
the opportunity of doing so. 
GARDENING CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY. 
THE CONSEEVATOET. 
This ought now to be very gay, with " flow- 
ers of all hue." Besides the various plants 
which have been brought into bloom in the 
forcing-house, according to the directions given 
last month under the head Forcing-House 
for Flon-ers, and in which a similar course 
of treatment must be continued, there will 
be very many green-house plants producing 
flowers naturally, or with but very slight 
artificial assistance ; and as many of these as 
may be requisite, must, of course, be taken to 
decorate the conservatory. If the house has 
