Ser. MELANOSPERME.E. ( 153 ) Fam. ECTOCARPE.1-:. 



Plate CLXXII. 

 SPHACELAKIA SCOPARIA.— Zy;?^J. 



Gen. Char. — Fronds filiform, articulated, dichotomously branched ; apices of the branches 

 generally more or less distended, as if the apical cell was enlarged and inflated, 

 containing in its centre a dark granular mass of endochrome. Fructification: 

 "elliptical utricles (or spores) furnished with a limbus, borne on the ramuli." 

 Name from <T(pdKe\os, "a gangrene," in allusion to the withered, diseased-like 

 apices of the branches, very characteristic in some of the species. 



Sphacelaeia scoparia. — Frond rather stout, densely covered in the 

 lower part with matted fibres, much and irregularly branched ; branches 

 alternately pinnate or bipinnate, pinnulse slender, spine-like. 



Sphacklaria scoparia. — Lyngb. Hyd. Ban. p. 104, t. 31 b. ; Ag. Sy.st. p. 167 ; 

 Ag. Syst. Alg. vol. ii. p. 19 ; Grev. Fl. Edin. p. 313; Wyatt, Alg. 

 Danm. No. 361 ; Ag. Alg. Medit. p. 29; Hiidl. 3rd Suppl. p. 23; 

 Menegh. Alg. Ital. et Dalm. p. 344 ; Harv. in Hook Br. Fl. vol. ii. 

 p. 323 ; Harv. in Mach. Fl. Hib. part 3, p. 180 ; Harv. P. B. 

 plate 37; Harv. Man. p, 55; Harv. Syn. p. 50; Atlas, plate 17, 

 fig. 73; J. G. Agardh, Sp. Gen. Alg. vol. i. p. 36. 



Sphacelaria disticlia.— Lyngb. 1. c. p. 104, t. 31 A. ; Ag. Sp. Alg. vol. ii. p. 26 ; 

 Harv. in Hooh. Br. Fl. vol. ii. p. 323. 



Sphacelaria scoparioides. — Lyngb. 1. c. p. 107, t. 32 o. ; Ag. Syst. p. 165. 



Ceramujm scoparium.—Both, Cat. Bot. vol. iii. p. 141 ; HooJc. Fl. Scot, part 2, 

 p. 86, 



Conferva scoparia. — Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. ii. p. 270; Huds. Fl. Angl. p. 595; 

 Lightf. Fl. Scot. p. 981 ; With. Br. PL vol. iv. p. 131 ; Dillw. Conf. 

 t. 52 ; E. Bot. t. 1552. 



Conferva marma ^ermato. — Dillen, t. 4, f. 23. 



Stypopomum scop>arium. — Kiltz. Phyc. Gen. p. 293, t. 18, f. 2. 



Hab. — On rocks in the sea. Not uncommon all round our coasts. 



GrEOGR. DiST. — Atlantic coasts of Europe from Norway to Spain ; Baltic and Mediter- 

 ranean Seas ; Canary Islands ( Webb) ; Cape of Good Hope {Dr. Harvey). 



Description. — Root, a rather large, flat disc, which, as well as the 

 stem, especially towards the base, is covered with a dense coating of 

 matted fibres. Stem rather stout and rigid, much branched irregularly, 

 often fascicled, especially in old specimens ; branches pinnate or bipin- 

 nate, pinnae and pinnulte erecto-patent, arising alteniately from each 

 joint or from each alternate joint ; ultimate pinnulse slender, tapering to 

 a point, spine-like. Articulations in the older parts about half as long as 



VOL. III. X 



