152 CATALOGUE OF MARINE ALGM. 



CATALOGUE OF MARINE ALGJl. 



Catalogue of Marine Algae, discovered at Beesley's Poird during the 

 Summer of 1855. By Samuel Ashmead, Esq. 



The limited number of the species of marine Jlgce at Beesley's Point 

 must be attributed to the want of a suitable place, or foothold for deve- 

 lopment, as the climate and the water, it would seem, supply all the 

 other conditions favorable to their growth. 



The following catalogue, embracing five Melanospeems, nineteen 

 Rhodospeems, and six Chloeosperms, are all that I have as yet been 

 able to detect. A more careful search may probably supply a few more 

 species. 



In the classification, and names of the species, I have followed that 

 eminent Algologist, Hon. Wm. H. Harvey, in his "Nereis Boreali- 

 'Americana," published by the Smithsonian Institute at Washington. 



Series I. MELANOSPERMEiE. 

 Ftrcus vesictjlosus, Lin. Yery common between tide marks, on the 

 shores of the Bays and the thoroughfares ; not unfrequently attached to 

 sods by a root penetrating several inches into the soil, throwing off 

 numerous lateral shoots, having the appearance of undeveloped fronds, 

 forming a strong hold-fast, and affording an interesting illustration of 

 the modification of a discoid root, where local circumstances are unfa- 

 vorable to such expansions. It is, however, more frequently found ad- 

 hering by a conical disc to mussels (Modiolo plicatula), which, at high 

 water, unable to resist the buoyancy of the full-grown plant with its in- 

 flated vesicles, are, by degrees, wrested from their place of growth and 

 jast upon the shore to perish, whence the Fucus, together with other ma- 

 rine plants, are carried away by the inhabitants for manure. 



Stilophoea ehizodes, J. Ag. Rather rare; on old shells, &c., near 

 low-water mark. The few specimens which I obtained are fertile, of 

 vigorous growth, and densely covered with wart-like fructification. 



