121 



FLUSTRA. Linnaens, 

 Generic Character: Pol_ypidom plant-like, membranaceons, 

 flexile, frondose, or crustaceous ; formed of cells arranged 

 qaincuncially, iu several series, in one or two layers ; cells 

 in jiixta-position, more or less quadrangular, flat, with 

 distinct borders; the apertures transverse, semi-lunar, 

 valvular, subtcrminal. 



* Foliaceous, cells on both sides. 



BROAD LEAVED SEA-MAT. F. Foliacea. Flat, 

 branched ; branches palmate, truncated ; cells in longi- 

 tudinal rows, alternate, arched at tiie distal, narrow at the 

 proximal extremity, armed with four or five marginal 

 denticles. 



Fiicus telam lineam sericeamve textura sua aemulans, 

 Raii Synop., p. 42. Flustra foliacea, Ellis and Solander's 

 Zooph., p. 12, pi. 2, fig. 8. Broad leaved Horn Wrack, 

 Ellis' Cor., p. 10, pi. 29, no. 2, figs, a A, C, Flustra fo- 

 liacea, Turton's Lin,, vol. 4, p. 663; Templeton in Mag. 

 Nat. Hist., vol. 9, p. 469. Fleming's Brit. An., p. 535. 

 Johnston's Brit. Zooph., p. 283, figs. I, 2. Stewart's Elem., 

 vol. 2, p. 435. 



Hab. On stones from deep water. Whitsand, Talland- 

 sand, and Mevagissey bays, Goran; common, frequently 

 washed on shore. 



Tliis species grows to the height of four inches, iu flat, 

 pal(nated tufts, and is one of the most elegant of all the sea 

 mats; when living it is of a lively flesh colour, which, in 

 death, turns to a dusky white. At the base, it is rounded 

 and narrow, but soon gets expanded and flat as it ascends. 

 The branches are broadly palmate and truncated. Cells on 

 both sides, from the base to tlie apex, contracted below, 

 above rounded and dilated, with two pair of teeth on the 

 external rim, which are shorter than the diameter of the cell. 

 It frequently emits an odour resembling that of violets after 

 a shower. 



PAPER SEA-MAT. F. Chartacea. Cells quadrangular, 

 bulging about the middle ; apertures unarmed, 



Ellis' Coral., p. 38, figs. 8, o. p. Flustra papyracea, Ellis 

 and Solander's Zooph., p. 13. Fleming's Brit. An., p. 535, 

 no. 140. F. chartacea, Turton's Lin., vol, 4, p. 663. Stew- 

 art's Elem., vol, 2, p. 436. Johnston's Brit. Zooph., p. 284. 



Hab. On a shell from deep water, eight leagues south of 

 the Deadman ; very rare. 



