PROTOCOCCUS. 335 



50. PROTOCOCCUS Ag. 



Char. Plant consisting of aggregated, naked globules, filled 

 vfith minute granules, and sessile on a gelatinous trans- 

 parent mass. 



Derivation. From irpwros, first or primary, and kokkos, 

 fruit ; from its elementary organization. 



" Agarclh states that the globules of his Protococcus are 

 perfectly simple, or consist merely of a hyaline cellule en- 

 closing an uniform coloured mass, and he regards our British 

 plant as a different species, belonging to Ilamatococcus. 

 Having minutely examined a specimen from Agardh himself, 

 submitted to me for that purpose by Dr. Greville, and find- 

 ing exactly the same compound structure as in our Britisli 

 specimens, I do not hesitate to pronounce the two plants 

 identical." — Harv, 



1. Protococcus nivalis Ag. 

 Plate LXXX. Fig. 2. 



Char. Globules exactly spherical, very minute, fine purple- 

 red. Gelatinous mass pale, spreading. 

 Grev. Crypt. Fl. t. 231. ; Ag. Je. Alg. Europ. t. 21., and 

 Hoim. Grcvillii Ag., 1. c. t. 23.; Harv. 1. c. p. 395. Pal- 

 mella nivalis Hook., in Parry's 2nd Voy. App. Uredo 

 nivalis Bauer, in Journ. of Science and Arts, vol. vii. 

 p. 222. t. 6. 



Hab, On the borders of the lake of Lismore, spreading 

 over decaying leaves, &c. : but in greater perfection ou 

 the calcareous rocks, within the reach of occasional in- 

 undation : Captain Carmichael. Near Miltown jNIalbay, 

 on schist ; Limerick, on limestone ; and about Dublin 

 on granite. In most cases slightly imuidatcd. — IV. H. 

 Harvey. 



This curious little plant, -which, under the name of Bed 

 Snow, has excited so much interest among botanists, is usu- 



