Acrotylus clavatus Harv.

Acrotylus clavatus: Earv. Her. Bor.-Am. 2: 196. pi. 18 G. 1853.
Frond, from a filiform stipe, club-shaped, terete, obtuse, simple
or forked (the branches being then club-shaped,) proliferous from the apex.
Hab. Thrown up from deep water, Key West, W. H. H. (63). (v.v.)
Root a small disc. Stipes a quarter to half an inch high, as
thick as hog's bristle, filifbrm, ending in an incrassated collar. Frond
springing from the centre of the collar, about two inches long, club-shaped,
tapering to the base, incrassated and obtuse at the apex, terete, prismati-
cally shrinking when dried without pressure, and not recovering its form on
re-moistening, simple or forked. Colour, a very dark purplish-red. Sub-
stance firmly cartilaginous. Structure very dense. Fruit unknown.
Of this curious plant I collected a very few specimens at Key
West, in February, after strong South Westerly gales. They are apparently
immature, but unquestionably congenerous with A. prismaticus. with which
they agree in structure and substance. Possibly mature specimens may be
more compound.
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