shade. Substance very soft, in some instances gelatinous, and soon decomposing
ill fresh water. Stnell very disagreeable.
This is one of the handsomest, as it is one of the largest
of the British species of Folysiphonia, and easily recognised,
except occasionally from some specimens of P. frutimdosa,
by its peculiar habit. The inarticulate stem, and long, simple,
robust branches clothed with pencils of delicate filaments strongly
mark the species. Common as it is now ascertained to be on
many of our shores, as well as on those of northern Europe and
the eastern shores of North America, it remained unnoticed
by botanists until it was observed about forty years ago, by the
late Mr. Brodie, of Brodie, to whose honour Mr. Dillwyn has
dedicated it.
The figure originally given in Dillwyn’s Confervse is very
characteristic of a common form of the plant; and so also, as it appears
to me, is that given by Lyngbye, which latter, nevertheless,
is held by the elder Agardh to represent a distinct species, which
he calls P. penicillata. Except in the greater simplicity of ramification,
this last perfectly agrees with the common form; and
I confess myself unable to draw any distinct line, even sufficient
to mark a variety, between it and the plant represented in our
plate. It would be easy to find, in the large suite of specimens
from which I have had to select, several forms distinguished by
minor peculiarities of branching, which nevertheless agree in the
aggregate of characters; and if P .penicillata be admitted to
rank as a species, we must be prepared to divide the species
still more; but, I think, to little purpose.
Fig. 1. P olysiphonia B k o d iæi :— of the natural size. 2. Multifid ramulus,
with capsules. 3. Apex of the same, with a capsule. 4. Apex of a ramulus
with tetraspores. 5. Transverse section of the stem.