Plate XXXII. 
Fig. 143. LAURENCIA TENUISSIMA. 
Colour. Pale purplish or pinky-red ; soon becoming yellow. 
Substance. Very tender ; somewhat gelatinous, though when fresh, elastic. 
Character of Frond. Thread-like {filamentous) ; very slender ; cylindrical ; much branched ; 
tufted. Main stem generally undivided ; bearing numerous, alternate, spreading, 
wavy branches of unequal length ; some of the longest bearing a second series ; and 
all set with numerous, very short, slender, bristle-like, simple branchlets, which taper 
finely to each end. 
Measurement. From 6 to 8 inches long ; ^ of an inch in diameter ! 
Fructification. Of two kinds. 1. Clustered spores in ovate, unstalked capsules; external 
on the branchlets : 2. Tetraspores imbedded in the fringing branchlets. 
Habitat. South of England and Ireland. Jersey. Isle of Wight. On rocks between tide- 
marks ; generally in shalloAV pools about half- tide level. Very rare. 
Slenderer than all the other Laurencias, and distinguishable from all by the fact of its 
branchlets tapering finely at both extremities, though more esi)ecially at their base. The 
figm’e does not give the bending delicacy of the real plant, but the magnified portion is good. 
An old name has been given back to this species : Chondria tenuissima. 
Fig. 144. LAURENCIA DASYPHYLLA. 
Colour. Pale-red or pink ; sometimes tinged with brown ; fading to yellow or green. 
Substance. Somewhat gelatinous ; soon decomposing. 
Character of Frond. Thread-like {filamentous) ; slender ; though not nearly so much so as 
L. tenuissima; cylindrical ; much branched ; tufted. Main stems generally undivided ; 
bearing opposite or alternate branches ; the lowermost longest, and frequently bearing 
a second set ; all set tvith numerous short, club-shaped branchlets, tapering to the 
base, but blunt at the tips {obtuse). 
Measurement. From 4 to 12 inches long. 
Fructification. Of two kinds. 1. Clustered spores in ovate capsules; external on the lesser 
branches ; 2. Tetraspores imbedded in the branchlets. 
Habitat. Shores of England and Ireland. On stones and shells in pools near low-water mark, 
generally where the surface is covered with sand or mud. Frequent. 
The blunt tips of the branchlets in this species distinguish it from L. tenuissima. Both 
are remarkable for being marked throughout, at short distances, with lines across {transverse 
strice). These are visible under a good pocket lens in the younger parts of the frond; though 
but faintly, generally. It is the internal structure showing through, which causes the appear 
ance. This plant is now called Chondria dasyphylla. 
