PALMELLACE^E. 3 







FAMILY I. PALMELLACE^E. 



Unicellular algas, in the broadest sense. Cells either solitary, 

 or more or less numerous, associated in families, vegetating by 

 cell-division, propagation by gonidia, which are produced from 

 the ultimate generation of cells. Gonidia, when free, ciliate 

 (usually with a pair of cilia) actively mobile. 



GENUS 1. EREHEOSPHJERA. De Bary. (1858.) 

 Cells single, rather large, swimming free, spherical, cell wall 

 firm, with a hyaline border. Cell contents (Gytioplasma} green, 

 granulose, sometimes containing green lamina disposed in a 

 radiate manner. Multiplication of the cytioplasm by division 

 into two or four (or more) sister cells, which escape by the 

 rupture of the cell-wall (Cytioderm.} 



Eremosphaera viridis. DeBy. Conj.p. 56, t. viii./. 26, 27. 



Cells globose, large, of a beautiful grass green. Rabh. Alg. 

 iii. p. 24. 



Chlorosphcera Oliveri, Henfr. Trans. Micr. Soc. vii. p. 25 

 (1859), pi. 3. Kirch. Alg. Schl. p. 115. 



SIZE, -0043--0059 in. = -11--15 mm. (Rabh.}, -1--12 mm. 

 (M.C.C.). 



In boggy ditches. 



" The ordinary appearance of the plant is that of a large green globe, 

 like a large spore, lying free in the water, or often gathered in loose 

 groups upon decaying vegetable structures, such as leaves of Sphagnum 

 contained in the water. The globe is a single simple cell, with a thin 

 membranous coat surrounding a mass of usually green granular con- 

 tents. Each cell produces two, or more rarely, four new ones." 

 Henfr ey. 



Plate I. Cells in various conditions, all magnified 400 diameters. 



GENUS 2. FX.EUROCOCCUS. Meneg. (1842.) 

 Cells segregated, globose (or angular from mutual pressure), 

 with a central nucleus. Single or associated in small families 

 which are either globose or cubical. Cell wall firm, often thick, 

 even, hyaline. Cell contents homogenous green, or oily red. 

 Multiplication of cells by division in alternate directions. Pro- 

 pagation by gonidia in proper cells (Sporangia). 

 Plants aquatic, or aerial. 



* Species green. 



Pleurococcus vulgar is. Meneg. Nost. 38, t. 5,/. 1. 

 Cells variable in size, simple, binate or quaternate, or as many 

 as 32 associated in families, aggregated in a crustaceous, pow- 

 dery bright-green and somewhat gelatinous (when moist) stratum. 



