Hab. East coast, R . Gunn.
Fronds 4-6 inclies high, not densely tufted, repeatedly dichotomous from the base, the lower axils very
patent ; cartdaginous, and thickly coated with secondaiy cells in the lower part, softer and inore pellucid above,
and at the ends of the branches fiaccid, much attenuated and pellncid. Articulations short in all parts of the frond,
only equalling their diameter toward the ends of the yonng branches, foiu'-tubed. The lower articulations are more
or less obliterated, being covered externally with several rows of accessory cells. Colour a dingy reddish-brown
when dry. Substance rigid, the tips only adhering to paper.
Our specimeus are few, and not in firet-rate order.
8 . P o ly sip h o n ia la x a j fronde setacea elongata rigidiuscula rufescente angulaliin flexuosa laxe
ramosa, ramis primariis patentibus paucis elongatis varie divisis, secuudariis brevibus divaricato-patentibus
alternis v. sæpe secundis subsimplieibus v. lateraliter ramulosis, ramulis paucissimis setaceis, articulis
{.etrasiphoniis ecorticatis mediis diametro 3-4-plo superioribus duplo longioribus ultimis diametro æqualibus.
H a b . Tasmania, R. Gunn.
Frond upwards of a foot long, as tliick as hog’s-bristle, very laxly branched, the branches distant, zigzag-bent,
throwing off branchlets at the angles ; the piiucipal hitinches several inches long, variously set with short lateral
branches, which are often secund, subsiinple, slightly branched, or haring a few setaceous ramuli. All the ramification
is remarkably patent. The substance is somewhat rigid, and the plant does not closely adhere to paper.
We have only seen a sohtarj- specimen, which is very dissimilar in character to any Australian species known
to us. It is attached to a fragment of Zostera.
9. P o ly sip h on ia su c cu len ta j fronde badia gelatinoso-cartilaginea ultrasetacea sensim. attenuata
apice flaccida dichotome ramosissima, ramis lateralibus irregulariter dichotomis v. multipartitis, ultimis in
ramulos fasciculatos multifidos desinentibus, articulis ecorticatis tetrasiphoniis mediis diámetro subtriplo
longioribus superioribus brevioribus ultimis diametro æqualibus, tetrasporis in ramulis nidulantibus.
Hab. Georgetown, on Zostera, R. Gunn. (Oct. 1848.)
We have only seen a single specimen. It resembles a large and coarsely-grown P. mollis, but the frond is
much more robust and sncciJent than in that species, and the habit move flabelliform, with dense fasciculato-
multifid terminal ramuli. Frond 6 inches high, much branched from the base, the branches dichotomous. Colour
when diy a rich dark-brown. Substance somewhat similar to that of Griffithsia secundijlora.
10. P o ly sip h on ia vagabunda (Harv.); cæspitibus minutis globosis (natantibus) roseis siccitate
fusceseeiitibus; frondibus pusillis intricatis vage ramosis, ramis elongatis horizontalibus v. divarieatis
arcuatis, ramulis paucis sæpe secuudis divarieatis, articulis tetrasiphoniis diametro æqualibus.—Earv. Alg.
Austr. Ecsio. n. 183.
Hab. Floating iu the sea, at Eagle Hawk Neck, W. E . II.
This curious little species occureed in such immense quantity as to colour the sea for a considerable distance
round the shore, each wave, as it rolled in, appearing as if thickened with raspberiy jam. The mass, when examined,
proved to be composed of innumerable minute, spherical tufts, each about two lines in diameter, composed of filaments
intricately woven together, very irregularly branched, the branching remarkably divaricate. At an eai'lier
stage, probably, the plant was attached, but wlien found it appeared in full life, and not a mere waif of the sea ;
and I was informed by a gentleman resident at the Neck that he had repeatedly noticed the waves, in that part of
the bay, to be similarly filled with this little plant.
S u b g en u s 2, POLYSIPHONIA.
11. P o ly siph onia can ce llata (Harv. Lond. Journ. iii. p. 4 4 0 ; Harv. Ner. Austr. p. 51. t. 15).
H a b . On the larger Alga, very common.
D i s t r ib . West and south and east coasts of New Holland.
12. P o ly siph onia Pru te x (Harv. Lond. Journ. iii. p. 4 3 9 ; Ner. Austr. p. 52).
H a b . Georgetown, etc., common.
D i s t r ib . South coast of New Holland.
13. P olysiph onia fu sce scen s (Harv. Lond. Journ. iii. p. 4 3 9 ; Ner. Austr. p. 52).
H a b . Georgetown, etc., common.
D i s t r ib . South coast of New Holland.
14. P o ly siph onia v e r sic o lo r (Hook. fil. et Harv.; Lond. Journ. vi. p. 399; Harv. Ner. Austr.
p. 48. t. 16).
H a b . Georgetown, etc.
D i s t r ib . West and south coasts of New Holland.
15. P o ly siph onia monilifera (Hook. fil. et Harv.; Lond, Journ. vi, p. 399; Harv. Ner Austr
p. 49. t. 16).
H a b . At Georgetown, rare, R . Gunn.
16. P o ly siph onia e r ico ide s (Harv. Lond. Journ. vi. p. 400 ; Ner. Austr. p. 50).
H a b . Tasmania, Rev. Mr. Ewing. Port Arthur, JF. E . E.
17. P o ly siph onia cladostephus (Mont. Voy. Pòi. Sud, i. p. 132. t. 13. f. 4 A ; Ilarv. Ner.
Austr. p. 45 ; Fl. N. Zeal. ii. p. 232).—Pol. byssoclados, Earv. Lond. Journ. iii. p . 436. Cladostephus
australis, Ag. Syst. p . 169. Griffithsia australis, Ag. Sp. Alg. ii. p . 135. Biudera cladostephus. Dene.
H a b . Common, especially at Georgetown.
D i s t r ib . All along the west and south coasts of New Holland. New Zealand. Auckland Islands, etc.
18. P olysiph onia sp in o sissim a (Harv.) ; fuscescens, dense cæspitosa, fronde setacea fruticosa
articulate sulcata decomposite ramosissima, ramis quaquaversis creberrimis patentibus pluries pinnatim
compositis, ramulis spicæformibus squarrosis spiraliter insertis brevibus crebris, articulis septemsiphoniis,
ramorum diametro sesquilongioribus, ramulorum brevissimis.—Æzt-ü. Alg. Austr. Exsic. n. 173.
H a b . Tasmania, C. Stuart.
D i s t r ib . Coast of Victoria, at Port Fairy, IF. E . E .
Tufts 2-3 inches high, very dense, many fronds growing from the same base. Stems about as tbick as hog’s-
bristle, articulated to the base, and very densely beset with lateral, patent branches dfrected to all sides, so as" to
give a shrub-hkc aspect to the plant. The principal branches are again beset with a second, and occasionally a third
set, directed to all sides, and closely alternating iu insertion. AU the branches are densely set witli short, spinelike,
divaricate or reflexed ramuh, about a line in length, The articulations have seven radiating tubes, and are short
throughout the plant ; those of the branches scarcely once and half as long as broad, and those of the ramuU much
shorter than their breadth. The colour is a dark brown when diy, a pale brown wlien recent. The substance is
soft, and soon decomposes in fresh-water. Frequently the whole plant is densely clothed with byssoid hairs.—The
Tasmaniau specimens entirely con-espond with those from Victoria, Mr. Stuart does not give their exact habitat.
Those from Port Fairy grew in a narrow tide-channcl, or small creek, and uot iu the open sea.
Gen. L I. DASYA, Ag.
(Ag. Sp. Alg. ii. p. 116. Harv. Ner. Austr. p. 57. Fl. N. Zeal. ii. p. 232.)
1. D a sy a Gunniana (Harv. Ner, Austr. p. 59. t. 17).—Pol. Gunniana, Earv. in Lond. Jouru.
Bot. iii. p . 437.
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