CHROOCOCCACE^E. 203 



CLASS II. PIIYCOCHROMOPHYCE^. 



Plants one or many celled, living in water, or enclosed in a 

 maternal jelly when out of it, mostly in families formed from 

 successive generations of cells. Cell membrane (Cytiodenn) 

 not siliceous, combustible. Cell contents (Cytioplasiii) a brown, 

 olivaceous, or fuscous endochrome, destitute of nucleus, and 

 usually without starch granules. 



Propagation by division, and by immovable gonidia, or 

 quiescent spores. 



ORDER I. CYSTIPHOHJE. 



Unicellular plants. Cells spherical, oblong, or cylindrical 

 enclosed in a tegument, associated in families surrounded by a 

 universal tegument, immersed in a more or less liquid or firm 

 mucilage, variable in colour, for the most part irregularly dis- 

 posed. Division of the cells taking place in one, two, or 

 three directions alternately. Propagation by quiescent gonidia. 



Fo3cundation unknown. 



FAMILY I. CHROOCOCCACEJ3. 



Thallus mucous or gelatinous, amorphous, enclosing cells and 

 families irregularly disposed. 



It ma)'- be urged that, as many of the species included in this family, 

 as well as in the analogous Palmellacece, are only conditions of higher 

 forms, they should not have been inserted. In the preparation of a Flora 

 of this kind, however, we are of opinion that whilst the life history of 

 these forms is so imperfectly known, we should not have been justified in 

 excluding them. 



GENUS 81. CHROOCOCCUS. Nageli. (1849.) 



Cells globose, or more or less angular from mutual pressure, 

 solitary, or associated in globose cubical or amorphous families, 

 free (not involved in a mother-cell). Cell membrane in most 

 cases thin, homogenous, achromatic, often confluent in a more 

 or less firm jelly ; cell contents verdigris, or pallid blue green, 

 not rarely yellow or orange. Propagation by division alter- 

 nately in three directions. 



