Sek. MELANOSPERME^. ( 173 ) Fam. ECTOCARPE.E. 



Plate CLXXVI. 

 ECTOCARPUS HmCKSIM.—IIarv. 



Gen. Char. — "Frond capillary, jointed, olive or Lrown, flaccid, single-tubed. Fruit, 

 either spherical, elliptical, or lanceolate utricles (or spores), borne (externally) 

 on the ramuli, or imbedded in their substance." Name from (Krhs, "external," 

 and Kap-rrhs, "fruit." A name equally applicable to many other genera, and 

 unfortunately only to a few of the species in the present. 



EcTOCARPUS Hincksue. — Filaments deusely tufted, repeatedly but 

 rather distantly branched ; ramuli curved, closely pectinated on their 

 upper utricles, short, tooth-like, forming a serrated margin along the 

 upper side of the ultimate ramuli. 



EcTooARPUS HincTcsia. — Harv. P. B. plate 22 ; Harv. Man. p. 59 ; Harv. Syn. 

 p. 65; Atlas, plate 19, fig. 83; /. G. Agardh, Sp. Gen. Air;, vol. i. 

 p. 22. 



Hab. — Parasitical on Laminaria bulbosa. Annual. June. Several places on the 

 coasts of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Abundant south of England. 



Geogr. Dist. — British Islands ? 



Description. — Fronds rather stout at the base, and but slightly 

 branched, becoming more so upwards ; lower branches and ramuli 

 mostly alternate, upper ones secund and more incm-ved ; on the lower 

 part of the branches the ramuli are few, distant, and very patent, 

 upwards they are closer, more regular, more erect, and secund ; each 

 series becoming closer, more incurved, and more regularly pectinated 

 upwards, the ultimate ones filiform, subulate. Fructification : short, 

 conical, tooth-like utricles, forming a seiTated edge along the upper side 

 of the ramuli, each joint of the ramulus producing its tooth-like pro- 

 cess. Substance rather firm, but closely adhering to paper. Colour, a 

 rather dark greenish olive, becoming paler in age. 



This fine species seems to be by no means of unfrequent occurrence 

 on the east coast of Scotland, being frequently thrown on shore with 

 the larger Algse from deep water after a gale. We have received fine 

 specimens collected at Peterhead, by the Rev. Mr. Yule, and also at 

 Wick by Mr. Peach, much finer than our Irish specimens or any we 

 have met with in Scotland. 



In its earlier state, the colour is a fine dark gi-een, witli very little 



