See. MELANOSPERME^. ( 157 ) Fam. ECTOCARPE^. 



SPHACELARIA CIRRHOSA.— ^^. 



Gkn. Char.— Fronds filiform, articulated, dicbotomously 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 o-<^a/ceAoj, "a gangrene," in allusion to the withered, diseased-like 

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



Sphacelaria cirrhosa. — Fronds forming brush-like tufts, simple or 

 much branched j branches mostly alternate, frequently opposite or 

 irregular ; fruit globose. 



Sphacelaria cirrhosa.—Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 164; Ag. Sp. vol. ii. p. 27; Wyatt, 

 Alg. Damn. No. 171 ; /. Ag. Alg. Medlt. p. 29; Endl. 3rd Suppl. 

 p. 24; Grev. Crypt. Fl. p. 317 ; Kutz. Phyc. Gen. p. 292 ; Harv. in 

 Mack. FL Hih. part 3, p. 180; Harv. P. B. plate 178; Harv. Man, 

 p. 56 ; Harv. Syn. p. 51 ; Atlas, plate 18, fig. 77 ; Harv, N. £. A. 

 part 1, p. 137; J. G. Agardh, Sp. Gen. Alg. vol. i. p. 34. 



Sphacelaria pennata. — Lyngh. Eyd. Dan. p. 105, t. 31 (excl. var. j3.) 



Ceramium cirrhosum.^Hook. FL Scot, part 2, p. 86. 



Conferva marina perhrevis villosa et cirrhosa. — DHL Muse. t. 4, f. 21. 



Conferva cirrhosa.— Roth, Cat. vol. ii. p. 214; vol. iii. p. 294. 



Conferva intertexta. — Roth, Cat. Bot. vol. i. p. 188, t. 3, i. 5. 



Conferva pennata. — Huds. p. 604 ; Dillw. t. 86 ; E. Bot. t. 2330 (right-hand 

 figure) ; FL Dan. t. 1486, f. 2. 



Hab. —Parasitical on the smaller Alga, between tide-marks. Perennial. Summer. 

 Common. 



Geogr. Dist. — Abundant on the Atlantic and Mediterranean shores of Europe. 



Description, — Fronds forming stellate tufts, parasitical, from half an 

 inch to an inch in length, simple or at length more or less regularly 

 pinnate, bipinnate or even ti'ipinnate, alternate, opposite or irregular, 

 very closely placed, and arising from every second joint, or alternate or 

 irregular and distant ; ultimate pinnules mostly simple, slender, but 

 very irregular in length, the longest ones often with scattered pinnules. 

 Outline of the pinnse generally oblong acute, a few of the uppermost 

 pinnules gradually shorter. Stem and branches articulated througliout. 

 Articulations about as long as their diameter, longitudinally striate ; 

 apices generally sphacelate, spores globose, sessile on the pinnuhnc, or 

 with short stalks. Substance firm, and scarcely adhering to the paper. 

 Colour, a brownish or greenish olive, when dry. 



