145 



CORALLINES. 



CORQIACE/E. 



- 146 





urn-shaped with long horns, formed of two to four articulations. 

 Colour a pale red with a purplish shade when quite fresh. 



/. corniculata, is also found on the southern shores of England and 

 Ireland, and in Jersey. 



Sub-order 2. NuUipor&x. 



3. Melobesia. Frond attached or free, either flattened, orbicular, 

 ninuated or irregularly lobed, or cylindrical and branched (never arti- 

 culated), coated with a calcareous deposit; fructification conical, 

 sessile. Ceramidia scattered over the surface of the frond, and con- 

 taining a tuft of transversely-parted oblong tetraspores. The genus 

 is named from one of the sea nymphs of Uesiod. 



M. polymorpha is found attached to rocks, thick, stony, incruating, 

 or rising into short clumsy branches, which are seldom much divided, 

 and often merely rudimentary. Much is yet to be done in working 

 out the species of this genus. 



M. jiu.itu.lat a is the largest and most developed of the parasitic 

 section of the genus. It is found on Phyllophora rubmt, C/tondrus 

 crigpta, &c. It is thick, of a dull purple or green colour, oblong or lobed, 

 incruating, smooth. Ceramidia numerous, large, rather prominent, and 

 conical Dr. Johnston refers this species to Coralliaa officinal. 

 This plant, he says, appears first in the guise of a circular calcareous 

 patch of a purplish colour, and in this state is common on almost 

 every object that grows between tide-marks. When developing on 

 the leaves of Zostera, or in other unfavourable sites, these patches are 

 usually pulverulent and ill-coloured, green or white, and never 

 become large ; but in suitable situations they continue enlarging in 

 concentric circles, each marked with a pale zone until they ultimately 

 cover a space of several inches in diameter. The resemblance which 

 in this condition the crust has to some crustaceous fungi, more espe- 

 cially t.) Pi,ly,,r,rns renicolor, is remarkably exact ; and neither is it 

 less variable than the fungus in its growth, the variations depending 

 on the nature of the site from which it grows. If this is smooth and 

 even, the folliaceous coralline is entirely adnate and also even ; but if 

 the surface of the site is uneven or knobbed, the coralline assumes the 

 same character. If it grows from the edge of a rock, or the frond of 

 a narrow sea-weed, or from a branch of the perfect coralline, the 

 basal lamina; spread beyond in overlapping imbrications of consider- 

 able neatness and beauty ; they are semicircular, wavy, either smooth 

 or studded with scattered granules, and these granules (ceramidia) 

 may be either solid or perforated on the top. Such states of the 

 coralline have been described as Afillepora lichenoidti, while its 

 earlier states constitute Lamoroux's various species of Melobetia. 



4. Hildenbrcmdtia. The frond cartilagineo-membranaceous (not 

 utony), crustaceous, suborbicular, adhering by its lower surface ; 

 composed of very slender closely-packed vertical filaments ; concep- 

 tacles immersed in the frond, orbicular, depressed, pierced by a hole, 

 and containing tetraspores and paraphyses at the base of the cavity. 



//. rubra is found on smooth stones and pebbles between tide-marks 

 and in deep water. It is very common, and forms a thin membra- 

 nous crust, at first orbicular, and spreading concentrically, at last 

 liir in form, following the sinuosities of the body to which it 

 may be attached. Viewed under the microscope, a small portion 

 shows minute cells lying in a clear jelly. When in fruit, the surface 

 is pitted with disc-like depressions, pierced by a hole which commu- 

 nicates with a chamber in which the spores lie. The colour is 

 variable ; now a bright, now a dull red. 



Sub-order 3. (?) Lithocystett. 



Li'/iocyilit. Plant calcareous; consisting of a single plane of 

 cellules, which are disposed in radiating dichotomous series, forming 

 mi uppresBed flabclliforrn frond. Named from a stone in the bUdder, 

 because the cells have stony coats. 



5. L. A Umtmni is parasitical on Chrysymenia clarellota from an oyster 

 bed at Malahide, Dublin, by Professor Allraann. It forms minute dot- 

 like patches of a whitish colour on the fronds of the Chrysymenia. 

 Kat.-h dot uoiiBists of one or several fan-shaped fronds composed of 

 quadrate cells disposed in dichotomous series. Tho plant U brittle, 

 colourleiiri, antl effervesces in acid. 



(Harvey, Britith Alija.) 



CORALLINES. [COKAT.LINACE.E.] 



CORALLIUM. [POLYPIFERA.] 



CORALLOKHI'ZA, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order 

 /"(f. and to the tribe Dfulaxidece. It has a converging perianth ; 

 the lijiK with two prominent longitudinal ridges at the base ; 3-lobed, 

 the lateral lobes small, the middle lobe large, slightly emarginate ; the 

 spur abort or obsolete; the stigma triangular ; the riwtellum obsolete, 

 but with a large globose appendage ; the anthers terminal, 2-celled, 

 O|MTIH ' iely ; the column elongated; the germeu slightly 



stalked, straight. 



C. innnta, has the spur obsolete or wanting. It has thick fleshy 

 roots with much branched fibres. The flowers are seated on a spike, 

 and arc of a yellowish colour. It is found in Great Britain in moun- 

 tainous woods, but is a rare plant. There are several American syecitia. 

 They are exceedingly difficult of cultivation. 



fiiKALWOKT. [DENTARIA.] 



rolilil'LA, a genus of Marine MnUuica, belonging to the Lamelli- 

 The shell is suborbicular or oval, tumid or depressed, 



JAT. Hi.-,r. Id V. VOL. 11. 



very inequivalve, slightly inequilateral, rounded anteriorly, more or 

 less truncated posteriorly ; beaks prominent ; surface of the valves 

 more or less furrowed or transversely striated, covered with an epi- 

 dermis. Hinge composed of a recurved primary tooth in one or both 

 valves, with corresponding socket and ligamental pit beside it. Liga- 

 ment small, interior. Muscular impressions slightly marked, united 

 by a pallial one with a very slight sinus. The animal is short, with 

 very short united siphonal tubes. Orifices fimbriated. Mouth closed, 

 except in front, where there is an opening for a bony narrow thick 

 foot of considerable dimensions. Anal siphon with a conspicuous 

 tubular membrane. Labial tentacles slender. 



This genus was once abundant in the European seas, especially 

 during the early part of the Tertiary epoch. Only a few species now 

 exist. It has more species in the tropical seas of the present day. 



C. nucleus is one of the most common species in the seas around the 

 British Islands. Whilst very frequently found in the dredges, it is 

 seldom washed on shore or found in shallow waters. It is about half 

 an inch in length and about one-fourth less in breadth. 



This genus belongs to De Blainville's family Pyloridea, which 

 embraces Solen, Panopea, Mya, and other allied species. [PYLORIDEA.] 



CORCHORUS, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order 

 Tiliacece. The leaves of C. oliiorius are used in Egypt as a pot-herb. 

 Fishing-lines and nets, ricie bags, and a coarse kind of linen called tat, 

 are made in India of the fibres of C. capsuJaris. 



CORDI A, a genus of Plants belonging to the natural order Oordiacete. 

 It has a tubular calyx, 4-5-toothed. Corolla funnel shaped or cam- 

 panulate, with a flat 5-7-cleft limb, and a hairy or naked throat. 

 Stamens 5, short, inserted in the throat of the corolla. Style pro- 

 truding, bifid, with 4 stigmas. Ovary 3-4-celled. Drupe containing 

 1 stone with 1 or 3 cells, two of which are usually abortive. 



C. latifolia is a native of Hindustan. It has numerous spreading and 

 drooping branches ; the young shoots angular and smooth. The general 

 height of trees ten or twelve years old about 20 feet. Leaves alternate, 

 petioled, round, cordate, and ovate, often slightly repand ; 3-nerved ; 

 of a hard texture, smooth above, scabrous and pale underneath ; from 

 3 to 7 or even 8 inches long, and rather less in breadth. Petioles 

 nearly rounded and smooth. Panicles short, terminal, and lateral, 

 roundish; the branches alternate, diverging, and one or more 

 frequently dichotomous. Flowers numerous, small, white. Bracts 

 minute, villous. Calyx villous, campanulate, leathery ; mouth unequally 

 toothed. Corolla short, campanulate. Segments 5, linear-oblong ; 

 filaments as long as the segments of the corolla, and inserted imme- 

 diately under their fissures. Anthers incumbent. Ovary ovate, 4-celled, 

 with one ovule in each attached to the upper end of the axis. Style 

 short. Stigma 4-cleft ; segments long, rugose, and recurved. Drupe 

 oblate-spheroidal, about an inch or an inch and a quarter in diameter ; 

 smooth when ripe, straw-coloured, covered with a whitish bloom. 

 Under the name Sebesten Plums, Sebestans, or Sepistans, two sorts 

 of Indian fruit, have been employed as pectoral medicines, for which 

 their mucilaginous qualities, combined with some astriugency, have 

 recommended them. They are believed to have been the Persea of 

 Dioscorides. Linmcus has erroneously applied the name of Sebesteu 

 to an American species of this genus which is not known in medicine. 



C. Myxa is a native of many parts of India, Persia, Arabia, and Egypt. 

 The trunk is generally crooked, from 8 to 12 feet high, and as thick 

 or thicker than a man's body. The bark gray, cracked in various 

 directions. Branches numerous, spreading, and bent in every possible 

 direction, forming a dense shady head. The flowers are numerous, 

 white, small ; a very large proportion of them are sterile, and they 

 always want the style. The drupe is globular, smooth, the size of a 

 cherry, sitting in the enlarged calyx ; when ripe, yellow ; the pulp is 

 almost transparent, very tough, and viscid. The smell of the nut 

 when cut ia heavy and disagreeable ; the taste of the kernels like that 

 of filberts. It is the true Sebesten of the European Materia Medica. 

 The fruits, according to Roxburgh, are not used in the Circars 

 medicinally, but when ripe are eaten by the natives, and also most 

 greedily by several sorts of birds, being of a sweetish taste. Tho 

 wood is soft, and of little use except for fuel. It is reckoned one of 

 the best kinds for kindling fire by friction, and is thought to have 

 furnished the wood from which the Egyptians constructed their 

 mummy cases. The wood is said by Dr. Royle to be accounted a 

 mild tonic. 



C. Geraacanthu is a native of the West Indies in woods, and of 

 Mexico, near Acapulco. It has ovate oblong leaves, acute, quite 

 entire, glabrous ; racemes terminal, aggregate ; flowers verticillate, 

 sessile ; calyx 10-furrowed, 10-striped, downy ; limb of corolla 5-cleft ; 

 throat villous; stamens the length of the corolla. This is esteemed one 

 of the best timber-trees in Jamaica, of which it is a native. The wood is 

 of a dark brown colour, and gently striped ; it is tough and elastic, of 

 a fine gram, and easily worked. It is called Spanish Elm or Prince 

 Wood by the English, and Bois de Chypre by the French. 



C. Rnmphii has brown wood beautifully veined with black, and 

 smelling of musk. 



There are above 100 species of this genus. 



(Lindley, Flora Medica.) 



CORDIA'CE^E, a small natural order of Monopetalous Exogens, 

 with a shrubby or arborescent habit, a gyrate inflorescence, and a 

 drupaceous fruit. The leaves are alternate, usually covered with aspe- 



