GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION; LIFE FORM 439 



In 1927 Funk proposed a new classification which applied par- 

 ticularly to the algae of the Gulf of Naples. He distinguished four 

 primary groups, all of which were capable of subdivision according 

 to the same principles, but unfortunately the terms that he em- 

 ployed for the major groups are not particularly happy as some of 

 them are open to the widest interpretation : 



I. Seaweeds ('Tange' in the original). 



II. Lime-encrusted algae. 



III. Fine algae (Teinalgen', or algae of small proportions). 



IV. Microscopic algae, including species measuring less than 



I cm. 

 Each of these groups could be subdivided as follows, the examples 

 being taken in this case from the first group. 



I. Seaweeds {^Tange'): 

 (a) Large algae, more than i m. in length, e.g. Laminaria. 

 (h) Medium algae, with a length of 0-5-1 m., e.g. Fucus. 

 (c) Small algae ranging from i to 50 cm. in length : 

 (i) Main axis not branched, e.g. Chaetomorpha. 

 (ii) Main axis branched, e.g. Gracilaria, 

 (iii) Thallus bushy, e.g. Gelidium, 

 (iv) Thallus leafy or a foliose bush, e.g. Petalonia. 

 (v) Creeping thallus, e.g. Caulerpa, 

 (vi) Crustaceous thallus, e.g. Ralfsia. 

 (vii) Thallus a hollow ball, e.g. Colpomenia. 

 Gislen in 1930 proposed another classification to include both 

 plants and animals, the biological types referable to ±e plants being 

 as follows : 



I. Crustida (Crustaceous thallus) : 



(i) Encrustida or encrusting forms, e.g. Lithothamnion. 

 (2) Torida or small cushions, e.g. Rivularia. 



II. CoRALLiDA (Hme skeleton more or less developed) : 

 (i) Dendrida or tree-like forms, e.g. Corallina. 



(2) PhyUida or leaf-Uke forms, e.g. Udotea. 



(3) Umbracuhda or umbrella-like forms, e.g. Acetabularia. 



III. SiLViDA (no Hme skeleton) : 



(a) Magnosilvida, or forms more than i dcm. high and with 

 branches more than i mm. thick. 



