SCHIZOCHLAMYS Braun m Kuetzing 1849, p. 891 



Thallus an amorphous gelatinous mass, either soft or firm, con- 

 taining numerous spherical cells irregularly arranged; fragments of 

 cell walls of previous generations lying about clusters of 2-4 cells. 

 Chloroplast usually a single parietal cup, sometimes occurring as 2 

 parietal plates; in some plants more massive and completely filling 

 the cell; with 1 pyrenoid. Pseudocilia sometimes discernible. Cells 

 divide by a splitting of the mother cell wall into 2 or 4 fragments 

 (sometimes old cell walls appearing as single pieces only), which 

 persist within the colonial mucilage. 



Key to the Species 



Gelatinous investment firm; colony of definite shape; 



old mother cell wall fragments 1 or 2 S. compacta 



Gelatinous investment soft and amorphous; 



wall fragments of old mother cell 2 or 4 ._.. — S. gelatinosa 



Schizochlamys compacta Prescott 1944, p. 348 

 PI. 4, Figs. 12-14 



Thallus microscopic, the mucilage firm and homogeneous and 

 bounded by a definite tegument. Cells globose, with a conspicuous 

 gelatinous cap-like concretion at one side. After division, 1 fragment 

 (rarely 2) of the mother cell wall remains, the mucilage cap per- 

 sisting on the old wall; daughter cells with apposed caps of muci- 

 lage. Cells 7.4-11 IX in diameter. 



This plant should be compared with S. delicatula West, which 

 forms but a single fragment of the mother cell wall upon division to 

 liberate daughter cells. S. compacta differs in the definiteness of the 

 shape of the colonial mucilage, in the larger size of the cells, and in 

 the mucilage cap on the cell wall, the presence of which seems to be 

 a constant character. 



Rare; in a small pool within a Sphagnum bog. Wis. 



Schizochlamys gelatinosa A. Braun in Kuetzing 1849, p. 891 



PI. 4, Fig. 15 

 Plant mass extensive, often macroscopic and free-floating; muci- 

 lage soft and amorphous. Cells spherical, 10-15ja in diameter, divid- 

 ing by a splitting of the cell wall into 2 or 4 portions, these persisting 

 and partially inclosing the daughter cells in pairs or in 4's. Cells 

 have 1 or 2 chloroplasts; pseudociha often evident. 



Generally distributed in several types of lakes, but usually in 

 shallow warm water. Mich., Wis. 



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