14 



Tremella. — Sulflantia uniformis gelatinofa, hyalina, uitegumento mem- 

 branaceo induta, fruHificationum gramdis in membrame contextu fbrofo. 

 abfque or dine fparjis. 



Such of the plants as have been ufually called TremeiU, and have the feeds 

 fcattered without order throughout the internal mucus, conftitute, as is above 

 obferved, this genus. 



Byssus. — In the third volume of the Flora Germanica, this genus is re- 

 tained with the following definition, " Filamenta vel fibrae tenuia, membranacea, 

 lanuginofa, txtus fru£lificatione granulu adfpcrfa" and comprifes all the fpecies of 

 Hudfon's fection, "■ flamentofte" but in the fecond volume of the Catuletla Botanica, 

 fome of them had been referred to the Fungi, and the " Pulverulent^" had been 

 feveral years before removed to the Lichens in the firft volume of the Flora. In 

 the third Fafeiculus of the Catalecla, the genus By/fits is not noticed, but three 

 of the filamentous fpecies are incorporated with the Conferva. I have examined 

 B. phofpborea, arugiuosa, velutina, purpurea, nigra, aurea, and fulph urea.* and 

 cannot find that they poffefs any character to diftinguifh them from the Con- 

 ferva, but B. feptica feems to be of a different nature, and to belong to the 

 Fungi, with which it has been arranged by M. Perfoon. 



It feemed neceffary to ftate my reafons for not having followed the arrange- 

 ment of fo eminent a Botanift as Dr. Roth, and I have confequently been 

 obliged to point out what have appeared to me to be its leading imperfections. 

 Every word written by fuch an obferver mult, however, be of value, and al- 

 though his arrangement has, in my opinion, been premature, I am convinced 

 that a better will never be effected without a liberal ufe of his numerous obfer- 

 vations. 



* Byssus sulphurea, Lichenis facie, tenuisshna ac densissime, jiltrum !5* pannum Itneum tcxturo similans. 

 Micueli, p. 211 a 17. Dill. Hist. Must. p. 7. t. 1. f. 13. This fingular fpecies has not been dif- 

 tovercd in Britain, and I am indebted to Mr. Dryander for a fpecimen from the Bankftan Herbarium. 



