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Census of New South Wales Freshwater Algae 
BY 
G. I, PLAYFAIR, 
Honorary Curator of Freshwater Alge, Natiozal Herbarium, 
Botanic Gardens, Sydney. 
In the following list of freshwater Alge (only a very few marine diatoms 
are included) the classification adopted is that given-by G. S. West in-British 
Freshwater Alem, 1904. As that followed in other parts of the Census is 
Engler’s Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien, 1904, I have been asked to ‘sum- 
marise the difference between the two systems as far as concerns the 
freshwater Algw. The following then seem to me the chief points of 
difference :— 
1. Engler does not admit the Algae as a distinct division of the Crypto- 
game; the very name:is not mentioned. G. 8. West on the other hand 
recognises them! asa group'of ‘Thallophytes on a level with the Fungi. He 
divides them into six Classes (equivalent to Hngler’s Abteilungen) according 
to the chemical constitution of the colouring matter of their chromatophores. 
Only one of these divisions, the Rhodophycew, answers exactly to any one of 
Engler’s: 
1. Engler’s Abteilung: iii, Plagellate, and Abt. iv, Dinoflagellate and 
Silicoflagellate are not accepted as belonging to the vegetable kingdom. 
3. But in this respect exceptions are made for Engler’s Reihen 4 and 5 of 
the Flagellate, containing Hydrurus, Cryptomonas, Synura, Syncrypta, 
Uroglena, Dinobryon, Pheococcus and certain other genera. These, on account 
of their brown chromatophores, are arranged under the Phewophycew as 
the Order Syngenetice. 
4. Cohn’s division~ Sehizophytw (Abteilung i, Engler), combining the 
Bacteria and the Blue-green Alge, is not accepted by G. 8S. West. The 
latter are ranked as a distinct Class (Myxophycew), while the Bacteria are 
ruled out of the Algse altogether (probably) as having greater affinities with 
the Hungi. 
5. Engler’s classification of the Chlorophycew. leaving off, as it does, at 
the Families, is too vague for the specialist in freshwater Algw. Out of 120 
genera only 50 are mentioned. The connection of Pleurococcus with 
Scenedesmus and HEremosphera in the Family Pleurococcaceew is open to 
objection. Still more so is the association of Gleocystis (Chlorooccum) with- 
Chlorochytrium and Characium in the Family Protococcacew, these three 
solitary genera being advanced as types of a group in which G. 8. West 
finds it necessary to form three additional Families and ten sub-Families. 
*This List is Supplement No. 1 to ‘A Census of New South Wales Plants,” by 
Maiden and Betche (1916), and the pagination follows the sequence of that work. 
