Belesseriea,'] NiTOPHYLLrM. 261 



Melt off, and leave the land and sea 

 Sleeping in bright tranquillity, — 

 Fresh as if day again were born 

 Upon the rosy lap of morn ! " 



Genus LXXIII. NITOPHYLLUM, Greville. 



Gen. Char. Prond plane, delicately membranaceous, rose- 

 coloured, reticulated, wholly without veins, or very slight vague 

 ones towards the base. Fructification, hemispherical capsules 

 imbedded in the substance of the frond, and ternate granules 

 forming distinct scattered spots. — Ch'eville. 



1. NiTOPHYLLUM PUNCTATUM, GrevUle. (Plate XIII. 

 fig. 51, plant with spots of granules scattered over the 

 frond,) 



Hab. In the sea, attached to various Alga3. Annual. 

 Summer. It seems to be found on most of the shores of 

 England and Ireland, and on the Scottish shores as far 

 north as Orkney. 



On the coast of Ayrshire, we would say, that in general 

 it is rather rare ; yet there are seasons when it is very 

 abundant. The summer of 1847 was one of these. In 

 the summer of 1848 it was very rarely observed. In the 

 summer of 1850, again, it was often met with. It has the 



