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XII. Obfervatiom upon the Generic CharaSler of Uha, with Defcript'ions 

 offotne new Species. By Thomas Jenkinfon Woodward, Efq. F. L. S. 



Read December 2, 1794. 



THE introdudion of a new J/ga from the Mediterranean fea, 

 which in fruftification agrees with fome of the plants 

 arranged in the genus Ulva, but in other particulars by no means 

 accords with the generic chara6ler, made it necefTary to take a 

 general examination and confideration of the fpecies enumerated by 

 different authors ; in order to afcertain whether it might properly 

 be placed amongfl: them, or muft be confidered as forming a new 

 genus of itfelf. The refult of this enquiry has been a thorough 

 conviftion, that the mod extreme anomaly exifts amongfl the fpe- 

 -cies at prefent arranged by various authors in this genus ; a cir- 

 cumftance which cannot efcape the obfervation of every botanical 

 fludent, who may undertake the invefligation and confideration of 

 the marine plants. Under this impreffion the prefent paper has 

 been compofed, in which it is propofed to point out the impropriety 

 of the generic character as it now flands, and to offer to the confi- 

 deration of the members of the Linna^an Society, and through them 

 to botanifts in general, fuch a character as may include the different 

 defcriptions of plants at prefent placed in this genus. This is 

 followed by a defcription of fome new fpecies. 



The 



