794 CRYPTOGAMIA ALG^E. 



nine, obtufe, thin, membranaceous fegments, 

 plain on the upper fide, a little tuimid and 

 fcaly underneath, but, fo far as obfervations 

 have hitherto been made, barren of flowers and 

 feeds. They may therefore be called Neuters, 

 till we are more acquainted with their ufe, and 

 can give them a better name. They are at firft 

 green above, and brownifh underneath, but in 

 decay turn totally brown. 

 Tiie Jecond are males. They arife from the fame 

 part of the leaves as the neuter, but from dif- 

 tind individual plants. They are at firft green, 

 ' nearly hcmifphsirical and ftriated, like fome of 

 the agarics, and Hand on very Ihort pedicles, 

 reddilh at the bafe, and befet with a few white 

 hairs. 1 he pedicles afterwards grow two inches 

 high or more, and the convex or hemifphx*rical 

 head before mentioned, call'd by Linnaus a Pe- 

 rianthium, now divides almoft to the centre, in- 

 to eight, ten, or more linear green rays, with 

 their fides deflex'd, having as many pale, hairy, 

 bladder-like purfes placed alternately between 

 them i which purfes have each one valve, which 

 opeps in the month of /k/v, and which contains 

 within it four or five white monopetalous florets, 

 each of an hollow oval form, with four or five 

 fegmenrs on the rim. From the centre of each 

 floret anfes a fingle filament, bearing at the top 

 a funnel- fhr.p'd anthem, dented on the rim, and 

 containing a yellow powder, affixed to claftic 

 hairs. This is a moft curious and wonderful 



piece 



