Str. Melanospermej;. Pam. Ectocarpetz. 



Plate CXXVI. 



ECTOCARPUS SPH^ROPHORUS, (km. 



Gen. Char. Frond capillary, jointed, olive or brown, flaccid, single-tubed. 

 Fruit either spherical, elliptical, or lanceolate utricles (or spores), 

 borne on the ramuli, or imbedded in their substance. Ectocarpus 

 {Lyngb.), — from cktos, external, and Kapiros, fruit. 



Ectocarpus spharophonis ; filaments slender, short, densely tufted, much 

 branched ; upper branches patent, opposite or in fours, bearing patent, 

 opposite ramuli ; spores globose, sessile, either opposite to each other, 

 or to a branchlet. 



EcTOCAitPUs sphserophorus, Carm. Alg. Appin. ined. Earv. in Hook. Br. 

 Fl. vol. ii. p. 326. Hart), in Mack. Fl. Hib. part 3. p. 182. Hare. Man. 

 p. 42. Wyatt, Alg. Damn. no. 173. 



Ectocarpus bracliiatus ? Ag. Sp. Alg. vol. ii. p. 42. 



Hab. Parasitical on the smaller Algae, between tide-marks. Annual. Sum- 

 mer. Rare. Appin, on Cladophora rupestris, Copt. Carmichael. 

 Sidmouth and Torquay, on Ptilota sericea, Mrs. Griffiths. Bantrv 

 Bay, Miss Hut chins. Land's End, Mount's Bay, Qfracombe, and 

 Milford Haven, all on Ptilota sericea; Menai Bridge, on Cladophora 

 rupestris, Mr. Ralfs. In a narrow, darkened chasm, on east side 

 of Eda, Orkney, parasitical on Ptilota sericea, and Clad, rupestris, 

 Lieut. F. IF. L. Thomas and Dr. Ma Bain. 



Geogr. Distr. British Islands. Baltic Sea ? 



Descr. Filaments densely tufted, capillary, one to three inches high, straightish, 

 the tufts somewhat spiry; main threads somewhat matted together, the 

 branches free, many times divided. Lesser branches short, opposite, or in 

 fours, very patent, furnished at distant intervals with pairs of short oppo- 

 site spine-like ramuli. Apices attenuated but not very acute. Spores 

 spherical, dark olive, with a pellucid border, sessile, borne on the sides 

 of the brandies, and opposite to each other or to a raniuliis ; each spore, 

 in fact, occupying the normal position of a ramulus, and substituted for 

 one on fertile specimens. Articulation* about as long as broad, semi- 

 transparent, with a few large grains. Colour olivaceous, or rusty, or yel- 

 lowish-brown. Substance flaccid, closely adhering to paper, wholly without 

 gloss when dry. 



This species was first observed by the late Capt. Carmichael, 

 on the western shores of Scotland, about the year L824 ; since 

 winch period it has been detected in many other Localities between 

 Orknej and Cornwall, but is nowhere a common plant, and where 

 it does occur, it is "not diffused", as Mr. Kail's well observes. 



