Hab. Lord Auckland's group ; on the roots and stems of sea-weeds.
Caulis 4-8 una longus, setam porcinam diam. asquans, sursum attenuatus, subangulatim flexuosus, vage ramosus, nunc subsimplex, ramis lateralibus instructus, nunc e parte inferiore subdichotorne divisus, articulatus, Rami inferiores longiores, superiores sensim abbreviati, simplices v. ramosi, patentes v. divaricati ; ramulis abbreviatis, flabellatis, dichotomis, patentissimis, laxe quadrifariam insertis, ultimis subulatis divaricatis v. recurvis. Articuli caulis et ramdrum majorum diam. 3-4-plo longiores, 4-5-striati, medio pellucide coccinei v. punicei, ad geniculos cellulis minutis superficialibus donati liinc opaci ; ramulorum diam. vix longiores v. sequales, 2-3-striati. Siphones in ramis majoribus novem, tubulum centralem amplum radiatim cingentes, cellulis externis nullis; caides hinc sulcati. Ceramidia non visa. Stichidia lanceolata, spheerosporas magnas quadripartitas pluriseriatas includentia. Substantia tenera. — Chartse adhaeret.
Slightly variable in some minor characters, yet a distinctly marked and easily recognized species. Main branches irregular, being imperfectly dichotomous or having a simple stem furnished with lateral branches. The most striking specific character consists in the dichotomously multifid fan-like ramuli, which are set rather laxly along the branches. We have not seen ceramidia ; several of our specimens produce stichidia, of the shape described by Montagne ; but the sphaerospores are in a double and occasionally a triple row, as in Basya. In one individual, the ceramidia are replaced (by disease) with a cluster of sphasrical bodies, forming a mass which resembles the favella of a Callithamnion, and, from which, fascicles of ramuli are given off in a proliferous manner. These call to mind the capsules of P. botryocarpa, and though their structure be very irregular, they suggest a doubt whether the remarkable fructifi- cation of the latter plant is not abnormal.
5. Polysiphonia rudis, Hook. fil. et Harv. ; pusilla, fills caespitosis rigidis tenacibus gracilibus subfastigiatis ramosis, ramis alternis apicem versus crebrioribus inferioribus filiformibus nudis elongatis superioribus basi nudis apice pinnatis, pinnulis subulatis elongatis erectis, articulis ramorum diametro 2-3-plo ramulorum sesqui-longioribus 3-4-striatis. (Tab. LXXIV. Fig. II.)
Hab. Lord Auckland's group ; parasitic on larger Alga. Caides dense csespitosi, e filis intertextis orti, 1-1^ una longi, siccitate rigidi, madore tenaces, atro-fusci, vix rubescentes, indivisi. Rami inferiores erecti, elongati, simplices, filiformes, nudi ; superiores sensim breviores, apices versus breviores, inferne nudi, superne pinnati, pinnis subulatis erectis inferioribus longioribus, hinc ramulis corymbosis. Circumscriptio ramorum obovata. Articuli per totam plantain manifesti, ramorum diametro 2-3-plo longioribus pauci-striatis, ramulorum sesqui-longioribus.
Plate LXXIV. Fig. II. — I, a specimen of the natural size ; 2, lower portion of branch and stichidia ; 3, upper ditto; 4, a stichidium; 5, sphaerospores : — magnified.
6. Polysiphonia ceratoclada, Mont. ; filo primario repente, caulibus erectis compressis indivisis demum ramos alternos emittentibus, ramis ramulisque brevibus subulatis patentissimis v. recurvis vestitis, ceramidiis sessilibus ovatis suburceolatisve, articulis brevissimis. P. ceratoclada, Mont. Prodr.Phyc. Ant. p. 6. Toy. au Pole Sud, Pot. Crypt, p. 130. t. 5. f. 2. (Tab. LXXVI. Pig. II.)
Var. ft secundata; ramis incurvis, ramulis plerumque secundis.
Hab. Lord Auckland's group ; both varieties generally parasitical on Laurencia pinnatifida.
Tota raniulis subulatis obsita. Caides e filis repentibus Algas alias infest antibus, erecti, 1-4 una alti, eom-pressi, in exemplaribus minoribus simplices, in majoribus ramis alternis cauli similibus donati. Ceramidia solitaria, ovata, lateralia, sessilia. Stichidia subulata, attenuata, sphaerosporas uniseriatas foventia. Substantia rigidula. Color fusco-ruber. — Chartse laxe adhaeret.
The habit of this plant is precisely that of a Polyzonia; Montague's specimens are in a young state, in which
