Ser. MELANOSPERME^. < 141 ) Fam. CHUltDAKlE.E. 



MYRIONEMA PUNCTIFORME.— .ffam 



Gen. Char. — Fronds formed of two strata of articulated filaments: 1, forming a thin 

 stratum, creeping and cohering ; 2, erect, simple. Fructification, consisting of 

 obovate spores, attached either to the erect or creeping filaments. Name from 

 fivpios, "a myriad," and vrifxa, "a thread," in allusion to the multitude of 

 minute filaments of which the plants are composed. 



Myrionema punctiforme. — " Patches globose, filaments tapering to the 

 base ; spores linear-obovate, affixed to the vertical filaments near their 

 base." — Fhi/c. Brit. 



Myrionema punctiforme. — Harv. in Book. Br. Fl. vol. ii. p. 391 ; Harv. P. B. 

 plate 41 B. ; Harv. Man. p. 51 ; Harv. Syn. p. 47 ; Atlas, plate 16, 

 fig. 70 ; /. G. Agardh, Sp. Gen. Alg. vol. i. p. 49. 



LiNKiA punctiformis. — Lyngh. Eyd. Dan. t. 66 ; Carm. Alg. App. ined. cum 

 icone. 



Hab. — Parasitical on the Floridece. Annual. Summer and autumn. On Chrysi- 

 menia clavellosa at Appin {Capt. Carmichael) ; on Ceramium rubrum at Torquay 

 {Mrs. Griffiths). 



Geogr. Dist. — Shores of Europe. 



Descbiption. — "Fronds or patches very minute, half a line or less 

 in diameter, flattish or globose, composed of vertical threads, radiating 

 from a small base ; filaments slightly tapering to the base, with joints 

 twice or thrice as long as broad. Spores sessile, near the bases of the 

 erect filaments, very narrow in proportion to their length." — Phi/c. Brit. 



This pretty little species was first discovered in this country by the 

 late Captain Carmichael, on the coast of Appin, and subsequently by 

 Mrs. Grifiiths, to both of whom we are much indebted for their numerous 

 discoveries among the minute species of marine Algse. 



The present species Dr. Harvey considers as not likely to be uncom- 

 mon, but from its minute size it may very possibly have often escaped 

 detection. We have not seen the species, and are indebted to Professor 

 Harvey for our knowledge of the characters. 



