Art. XXXVII.—List of the Algæ of the Chatham Islands, collected by H. H. Travers, Esq., and examined by Professor John Agardh, of Lund. Communicated

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 6, 1873, Unnumbered Page

Art. XXXVII.—List of the Algæ of the Chatham Islands, collected by H. H. Travers, Esq., and examined by Professor John Agardh, of Lund. Communicated by Baron Ferd. von Mueller, C.M.G., M.D., F.R.S. Hon.Mem.N.Z.I. [Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 1st September, 1873.] Early last year I was entrusted by Mr. H. H. Travers with a collection of Algæ, obtained by him with a large number of other plants during his second visit to the Chatham Islands. I was glad to induce my friend Professor Dr. Agardh, of Lund, to undertake the laborious task of the examination of these Algæ, as here, not only the Museum material for comparison of this kind of plants, but also the extent of our libraries for phycologic studies, are quite inadequate; and besides the systematic determination requires great circum-spectness, many Algæ being of wide and much interrupted oceanic distribution. Moreover, no one could have brought to bear on this investigation the unrivalled experience of the great phycologist of Lund, gained after life-long special researches, which came to him as an inheritance from an illustrious parent. Dr. Agardh had already, at my request, examined the few Algæ brought by Mr. Travers from the Chatham Islands in 1864. The latter gentleman, encouraged by the well-proved discovery of a few new species on that occasion, effected last year a far more extensive search. The result has been that he brought together 46 genera and 62 species of these kinds of oceanic plants; and it is further gratifying to observe that he thereby added now again 2 genera and 10 species to the New Zealand flora, and indeed to science. Of the whole series a list is appended, arranged in accordance with the sequence adopted in Dr. Hooker's handbook. Diagnoses of the new generic and specific forms will soon be published in Sweden by Dr. Agardh. It is, however, not likely that Mr.Travers' creditable exertions have already rendered known all the sea plants of this order occurring on the shores of the Chatham group; on the contrary, it may be expected that settlers on the various islands, able to watch what the gales may cast ashore at various seasons, or equally able to effect dredging at various places, will still largely add to the number of the Algæ now recorded from thence. It is also to be hoped that the enthusiastic young naturalist, to whom we mainly owe our knowledge of the vegetation of the Chatham Islands, will soon gain a new and fruitful field for a continuation of his important exertions.

List of Algæ. Sargassum plumosum, Ach. Rich. —— a species allied to S. sinclairii, J.H. and Harv. Carpophyllum phyllanthum, J. H. and Harv. maschalocarpum, J. H. and Harv. Marginaria urvilleana, Ach. Rich Cystophora scalaris, J. Ag. distenta, J. Ag. This, by a writing or printing error, was called C. dissecta in Trans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. III., p. 214. Landsburgia quercifolia, J. H. and Harv. myricifolia, J. Ag. Fucodium gladiatum, J. Ag. Carpomitra halyseris, J. H. and Harv. Ecklonia radiata, J. Ag. Zonaria turneriana, J. Ag. Dictyota kunthii, Ag. Adenocystis lessonii, J. H. and Harv. Sphacelaria paniculata, Suhr. Rhodomela traversii, J. Ag., n. sp. Polysiphonia lyallii, J. H. and Harv. muelleriana, J. Ag. ramulosa, Harv. Or a species closely allied to it. Polyzonia incisa, J. Ag. On Pterocladia lucida. Champia novæ-zealandiæ, Harv. Laurencia urceolata, J. Ag., n. sp. thyrsifera, J. Ag., n. sp Dactylotus oblongifolius, J. Ag. (Cladhymenia oblongifolia, Harv.) Amphiroa corymbosa, Harv. The identity with Decaisne's South African plant doubtful. wardii, J. Ag. Jania cuvierii Decaisne. Nitophyllum palmatum, Harv. Gracilaria flagelliformis, J. Ag., n. sp. Caulacanthus spinellus, Kuetz. Pterocladia lucida, J. Ag. ApophlŒ lyallii, J. H. and Harv. Wrangelia lyallii, Harv. Rhodymenia corallina Grev. Hymenocladia lanceolata, J. Ag. Rhodophyllis acanthocarpa, J. Ag. (Callophyllis acanthocarpa, Harv.) Plocmium coccineum, Lyngb. Gymnogongrus, sp. The collected specimens are sterile. Callophyllis hombroniana, Kuetz. Gigartina angulata, J. Ag., n. sp. marginifera, J. Ag. decipiens, J. H. and Harv. radula, J. Ag. Epymenia obtusa, Harv. Perhaps distinct from the South African plant. Chrysymenia linearis, J. Ag. Grateloupia caudata, J. Ag., n. sp. Ceramium nodiferum, J. Ag., n. sp. stichidiosum, J. Ag., n. sp. Centroceras clavulatum, Montagn.

Ptilota formosissima, Mont. Pandorea traversii, J. Ag., n. g. Griffithsia sonderiana, J. Ag., n. sp. antarctica, J. H. and Harv. gracilis, Harv. Or an allied species in a sterile state. Ballia brunonis, Harv. scoparia, Harv. Caulerpa furcifolia, J. H. and Harv. Codium tomentosum, Ag. adhŒrens, Ag. Bryopsis prolifica, J. Ag. Ulva rigida, Ag.