Mr, Woodward'j Obfervations upon the Generic Chara£ier of 'Uha, 47 



The genus Uha was adopted by Linnaeus from Dillcnius, and 

 the character (lands in the Genera Plant arum in thefe words — " Fruc- 

 tificationes in membrand vejicuhri abfque fronde" In the Syflema Ve^eta- 

 fa'Iium, the efTential character of the genus is thus given — <4 Frutli- 

 fcationes in membrand diaphana" and this character is adopted by 

 Hudfon, Lightfoot, and all the Linnaean authors, notwithstanding 

 a great part of the plants which are arranged in this genus can by 

 no means be confidered as agreeing with it. Amongft the fpecies 

 enumerated by Linnaeus himfelf, in the Species Pla n/ar u m, are fome 

 which only agree in part with the generic character, and others 

 which are totally difcordant from it. Of the firft defcription are all 

 thofe fpecies which were adopted from the Synopjis, ladiuca, latifiima, 

 and the reft, in which no actual fructification has been hitherto 

 difcovered ; in confequence of which it is there called " Genus 

 jlerik" Amongft the latter are pruniformis and granulata> which 

 are both fphaerical, and filled with a gelatinous pulp, in which no 

 fructification has as yet been obferved. The Uha pavonia is the 

 only one amongft the fpecies enumerated by Linnxus, in which 

 fructification vifibly exifts ; and this, which can fcarcely be faid to 

 confift of a diaphanous membrane, has by fome authors been confi- 

 dered as a Fucus y from the circumftance of the feeds being difpofed 

 in feparate fafciae, and not difperfed over the whole lurface. The 

 Flora Anglica includes fpecies which accord ftill lefs with the efTen- 

 tial character; fome being round and fiftulofe, and amongft thefe 

 the fjlulofa is undoubtedly opake; and others filiform, amongft 

 which it is fufficient to mention plumofa, than which nothing can 

 be farther removed from the generic character. 



Befides this anomaly, which might be removed by forming one 

 or more new genera ; the character is in itfelf vague and doubtful, 

 as neither the kind, nor the precife fituation of the fructification is 



pointed 



