240 The Rev. D. Landsborough on Gloiosiphonia. 



XXVIII. — On the Fructification of Gloiosiphonia capillaris, Carm. 

 By the Rev. David Landsborough*. 



[With a Plate.] 



In the May Number of the ' Annals of Natural History' there is 

 an interesting article by William Henry Harvey, Esq., at the 

 close of which that distinguished botanist says, " Many inter- 

 esting additions to our marine flora may be expected from Mr. 

 M'Calla's researches on the west coast of Ireland. In addition 

 to the present new species (Codium amphibium), he has already 

 found fine specimens of some very rare Algse, as Gloiosiphonia 

 capillaris, Conferva rectangularis and others." The Conferva I 

 don't know, but the Gloiosiphonia was found by me last year in 

 the bay at Saltcoats ; I observed it at low water in a little channel 

 betwixt two rocks, and as I was retreating with all convenient 

 speed from the returning tide, lest I should be circumvented as 

 I had been some days before. I snatched only a small portion 

 from a large growing bunch of it, thinking that it was some 

 common thing in rather an uncommon aspect. On floating it in 

 fresh water, spreading it on paper, and exposing it to the air, in 

 a very short time it changed from a dull brownish red to a fine 

 crimson colour. On examining it I was led to conclude that it 

 was Mesogloia, now Gloiosiphonia capillaris, Carmich.; but to be 

 quite sure I sent a specimen of it to Mr. Ralfs of Penzance, who 

 has often skilfully and obligingly resolved my algological doubts, 

 and he soon returned it named Gloiosiphonia capillaris. 



My son and daughter found it again this season, early in June, 

 in the same place ; at ebb tide it was found rather abundantly in 

 shallow water, but what was thus found was of a dirty yellow 

 colour, and on being spread out it changed only to pale pink. 

 David found better specimens by wading to a considerable depth, 

 and catching the plants with his toes. The plants found in deep 

 water had a reddish tinge, and on being floated in fresh water and 

 exposed to the air they soon changed into as bright a red as De- 

 lesseria sanguinea, and made very beautiful specimens. 



One little specimen he found was rich in fruit j and I write 

 this to describe its three kinds of fructification, all of which I 

 have not seen described, although it may have been done unknown 

 to me. The specimen found by my son had only one kind of 

 fructification, and that was very like the hemispherical fruit of 

 Plocamium coccineum, except that it was surmounted by a process 

 which gave it an urceolate appearance, or it might be likened to 

 the boss of a buckler (PI. IV. fig. 4. a). The hemispherical base 

 was full of purple-coloured matter. 



* Read to the Botanical Section of the Glasgow Philosophical Society, 

 June 25th, 1844. 



