See. MELANOSPERMEiE. (135) Fam CIlUKDARlEvE. 



ELACHISTA VELUTINA.— i^nes. 



Gen. Char. — Fronds consisting of a more or less evident tubercular base, composed of 

 ovate cells arranged in the form of mostly dichotomous filaments, densely packed, 

 terminating in free, simple filaments, forming a brush-like tuft. Fructification : 

 obovate spores, produced at the base of the simple filaments, and often accom- 

 panied by tufts of short, clavate " j^aranemata." Name from eAax'0"ra, "the 

 least," in allusion to the small size of the species. 



Elachista velutina. — " Spreading in their indefinite velvety patches ; 

 filaments veiy minute, equal in diameter throughout, dissepiments 

 slightly contracted ; joints once to one and a half times as long as 

 broad ; spores elliptical, pedicellate, affixed to the lower part of the 

 filaments." — Fhi/c. Brit. 



Elachista velutina. — Fries, Flor. Scan. p. 317; Aresch. in Linn. vol. xvi. p. 235, 

 t. 8, f. 9 ; Harv. P. B. plate 28 b. ; Harv. Man. p. 51 ; Harv. Syn. 

 p. 46 ; Atlas, plate 16, fig. 67 ; /. 0. Agardh, Sp, Gen. Alg, vol. i. 

 p. 10. 



Mykionema velutinum. — Eiidl. 3rd Suppl. p. 23. 



Sphacelaeia (?) velutina. — Orev. Crypt. Fl. t. 350 ; Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. 

 vol. ii. p. 325 ; Harv. in Mack. Fl. Eib. part 3, p. 181 ; Harv. Man. 

 1st edit. p. 39. 



Hab. — Parasitical on Himanthalia lorea and Fucua serratus. Common. 



Qeoqr. Dist. — Atlantic coasts of Europe. 



Description. — " Forming dark olive velvety patches of indefinite extent 

 on the surface of the Fuci affected, rooting in their substance. Filaments 

 about a line in height, linear, obtuse, coloured, except at the very base, 

 simple or occasionally forked at a joint or two above the base. Articu- 

 lations once or twice as long as broad, slightly contracted at the 

 dissepiments. Spores elliptical or oblong, or somewhat obovate, dark 

 olive, with a wide limbus, supported on slender pedicels, which are 

 evidently contracted filaments." — Fhi/c. Frit. 



Although this species is said to be not imcommon, we have not been 

 able to procure specimens. It is found on the thongs of Himantlialia 

 lorea, and very mixch resembles in appearance E. scicticlata, with which 

 it is sometimes associated, but from which it may generally be dis- 

 tinguished by its less convex patches, more diffused in their habit, and 

 by the darker colour and more distinctly obovate spores, and their shorter 

 pedicels. 



