SpJmrococcoidetE.'] hypnea. ^ 237 



of a genus of mosses, in allusion to the mossy characters of some 

 of the original species. — Harvey. 



1. Hypnea purpurascens, Harvey. (Plate X. fig. 37, a, 

 branch with tubercles, of the natural size; h, magnifi.ed 

 portion of a branclilet with a tubercle or coccidium.) 



For the reasons which have induced Professor Harvey to 

 transfer this species to Ilj/jmea of Lamouroux, see Phyc. 

 Brit., PL cxvi. 



Hab. In the sea on rocks and the larger Algse. Annual. 

 July to November. Prequent on the shores of England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland. It is got at an early period of the 

 season, and being then without tubercles, it is apt to be 

 mistaken for some other plant. In this growing state the 

 branches occasioually terminate in capillary tendrils, which 

 twine around other Alga3. Lightfoot says, " The fructifica- 

 tion appears like little grains or tubercles of a round or oval 

 figure, hardly so big as the smallest pin^s head.''' With us 

 the oval tetraspores are as big as middle-sized pins' heads. 

 When full grown, this plant is very bushy, and at times 

 two feet in length; the stem as thick as a crow's quill, 

 thickest at the middle, and attenuating towards each end ; 

 substance cartilaginous, but soft, and adhering to paper; 

 colour brownish or purplish pink, becoming darker in 



