5G SYNOPSIS OF BRITISH SEAWEEDS. 



s5. tomentosus (The woolly Ectocarpus) \ filaments rery slen- 

 der, flexuous, irregularly branched, interwoven into a dense, 

 sponge-like, branching frond ; utricle- Btalked, linear-oblong, 

 obtuse, Lyngb. 11, id. Dam. p. 132. t. ll. (Atlab, PL XIX 

 Fig. 84.) 

 Oeramium tomentosum, Ag, Ghantransia tomentosa, JSndl. Con- 

 ferva tomentosa, JIiuls. 

 Hab. Parasitic on Fucus vesiculosus, Hvmanthalia lorea, and 

 other Algse, between tide-marks ; occasionally on rocks and 

 stones. Annual. Summer. 

 From all the British species of Ectocarjms this is at once 

 distinguished by a remarkable difference in habit, the fila- 

 ments being aggregated together, intertwined, and even 

 firmly compressed into a branching frond, which at first 

 sight is not unlike the spongy frond of Codium. In some 

 specimens this character is much more strongly developed 

 than in others, the branches in them being singularly rope- 

 like ; while in an opposite variety the tips of the filaments 

 and their lateral divisions are so nearly free that the plant 

 assumes quite a feathery aspect. On different parts of the 

 coast this species differs much in size. It appears to flou- 

 rish best in the north, in muddy, land-locked bays. 



86. crinitus (The hairy Ectocarpus); filaments decumbent, 

 forming extensive stratified tufts, sparingly branched ; the 

 branches subsimple, distant, elongated ; ramuli few, patent ; 

 spores globose, scattered, sessile ; articulations twice or thrice 

 as long as broad, Carm., Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. v. 2. p. 326. 

 (Atlas, PI. XXL Fig. 91.) 



Hab. Appin; Devon. On muddy sea-shores. Annual. Summer. 

 Rare. 

 I am but imperfectly acquainted with this species, which 

 I have only seen in a dry state ; and though I have re- 

 peatedly examined several parts of specimens collected by 

 Captain Carmichael, I have not been able to detect the 

 fructification described by him, save in a single instance 

 that I chanced upon the young spore represented at ^g. 3. 

 The nearest affinity of E. crinitus seems to be with E. pu- 

 silhts, which has a nearly similar ramification, but is a 

 smaller plant, and almost always found with fruit. 



87. pusillus {TJie small Ectocarpus); filaments tufted, inter- 

 woven, sparingly branched ; branches distant, very patent, 

 flexuous, bearing a few, irregular, patent, flexuous ramuli ; 

 spores roundish-oblong, subsessile, frequentlv opposite, Qriff. 

 in Wyatt, Alg. Damn. no. 212. (Atlas, PL XXI. Fig. 92.) 



