62 



PTILOTA— - GRIFFITHSIA. 



The species represented at plate c, fig. 4, is 

 hidcea edulis, a plant which is sometimes eaten 

 raw, and sometimes fried by unpoetical gastro- 

 nomists. I do believe that some people would 

 fry the rainbow itself if it were eatable. 



The frond of this species is generally about 

 nine or ten inches in length, and five inches in 

 width, although it sometimes nearly doubles these 

 dimensions. Its colour is an uniform deep 

 red, and its shape somewhat resembling a 

 battledore. 



A particularly elegant species of alga, making 

 a good figure when spread on paper, is seen 

 figured on plate k, fig. 6. The fronds are some- 

 times more than a foot in length, but do not 

 often exceed ten or eleven inches, some being 

 only three or four inches long. The colour is 

 rather apt to fly, unless care be taken; but it 

 is a beautiful plant, were it only for the elegance 

 of its form. Its name is Ptilota plumosa, both 

 words having a like signification, and meaning 

 " winged," or feathery. 



There is a pretty little alga, called Griffiihsia 

 setacea, which has the property of staining paper 

 with a fine pinkish-scarlet hue, when the en- 

 closing membrane bursts. Contact with fresh 

 water will usually cause the membrane to yield, 



