124 



The genus Naccaria, Endl. (Chsetospora, Ag.), placed among the Ceramiese by 

 Agardh, and among the Fk)rideffi by Gieville, is brought under the Gloiocladese of 

 Harvey. The author observes that the " habit is completely that of Gloiosiphonia and 

 Mesogloia. The membrane, too, of the periphery, is formed of exceedingly minute, 

 longitudinal fibres, cohering together. May not Naccaria therefore be regarded as a 

 Mesogloia, wanting the verticillate filaments, except in the ramuli ? " Our readers 

 will recognise this plant as the rare Fucus Wiggii of Turner. 



A plant of considerable interest, and which has been the occasion of a good deal 

 of epistolary controversy, we find raised at length to the rank of a species. The Alga 

 we allude to is Fucus alatus, y. of Turner, (Delesseria alata, i3. angustissima, ' Brit. 

 Flor.'). It has been named Gelidium ? rostratum by Mrs. Griffiths, and is assuredly 

 quite distinct from Delesseria alata. We believe that all the mistakes which have 

 arisen with respect to this subject, have been caused by very narrow varieties of Del. 

 alata having been mixed with, or distributed instead of the true plant. It is remark- 

 able that although found in considerable abundance in Morayshire, by Mr. Brodie, 

 upwards of thirty years ago, it has never been collected by any other botanist. 



We have already observed that Mr. Harvey is known to have investigated the Ce- 

 ramiese with great care ; and we find abundant evidence of this in the work before us. 

 It would be impossible to notice the many corrections which his observant and accu- 

 rate eye has led him to make in this difiiuult family. We are truly glad to find that 

 he has united Polysiphonia Agardhiana, badia and denudata with Pol. atrorubescens. 

 Pol. Lyngbyaei, Harv. in ' Brit. Fl.' turns out to be a new species, and is now named 

 P. Grevillii. We have also a new species named P. Griffithsiana, and two Irish ones 

 named by their discoverer, Mr. Moore, P. affinis and atro-purpurea. 



The most interestmg addition, however, to the British Flora in the whole volume, 

 is the exquisitely beautiful Thorea ramosissima, no native specimens of which exist, 

 we believe, in any herbarium. But the late Mr. Templeton has left a note of its hav- 

 ing been discovered " in a pool in a bog in the Co. Donegal mountains, going from 

 Letterkenny to Dumfanaghy." The plant is too remarkable, and Mr. Templeton's 

 accuracy too well known, to admit of any doubt in regard to it. 



We shall not dwell upon the Chlorospermeae and the DiatomacejE, more than to 

 bear our cordial testimony to the care which has been bestowed upon them. These 

 series contain the more obscure families, and doubtless much remains to be done for 

 their farther elucidation. In the genus Conferva itself, as it now stands, characters 

 will, we feel assured, be detected, for affording generic subdivision. It is in this part 

 of the work that we feel the want of pictorial illustration ; and we trust that when Mr. 

 Harvey shall be called upon for another edition, he will be enabled to add those plates 

 which we know he was most anxious should accompany his excellent Manual. It is 

 indeed a work which must immediately become the text-book of every student of our 

 marine Botany. 



2. Collectanea for a Flora of Moray : or, a List of the Phomogamous Plants and 

 Ferns hitherto found within the Province. Elgin : printed by Alex. Russell, 

 Courant Office. 1839. 



We are always disposed to give a hearty welcome to a local Flora, whatever may 

 be the district to which it relates ; but the present work possesses peculiar claims to 



