The English flora - SeaweedAfrica

378 ALGili CONFEIlVOIDEiE. [Belonia.
" On rocks, by the sea-side, where birds are in the habit of resting ;"
Appin, Captain Carmichael.—" it spreads over the dry naked earth.
Stratum several feet in extent, firm, coriaceous, of a glossy black colour,
void of lubricity. Filaments about half a line in length, twisted like a
cork-screw, radiating in all directions." Carm. MSS.
23. O. spadicea, Carm. (chestnut-coloured Oseillatoria'); stratum
dark chestnut-colour very thin spreading, filaments yellowish-brown
thick variously curved and twisted, stria? conspicuous
and very close.
On damp mossy earth ; " rare." Appin, Captain Carmichael.— " It
occurs as a very thin dark-brown stratum, spreading to the extent of
several feet, and is hardly to be distinguished from the mossy earth on
which it grows. Filaments short, straight, curved, or spirally twisted,
radiating in every direction and possessed of all the movements peculiar
to the tribe." Carm. MSS.—A very distinct species. -The filaments
strongly resemble those of a Srytonema, in which genus i should not
hesitate placing it, had not Carmichael observed its oscillating charac-
ter.
24. O. ochrdcea, Grev. (fragile Oseillatoria); forming floating
cloud-like very fragile masses of an ochrey colour, filaments
scattered very slender acicular. Grev. Ft. Edin. p. 304.
Conferva ochracea, Dilliv. Conf t. 62.
In boggy pools, common.—This species occurs in cloud-like masses,
scarcely to be called strata; thefilaments are very slender, and scattered
without order. Dillwyn's figure and description incorrectly represent
them as branched; and Lyngbye's (if indeed his be the same species) as
thick and strongly striated, /igardh considers it to be some other species
in decay.
25. O. ? aldta, Carm. (winged Oseillatoria); stratum subgelatinous
chestnut-brown, filaments curved bordered by a broad
waved membranaceous marginal expansion. Grev. Crypt. Fl.
t. 222.
On wet, calcareous cliffs. Appin, Captain Carmichael.— " Stratum of
indeterminate extent, thin, rather gelatinous, of a chestnut colour. Filaments
about half a line in length, simple or sometimes cohering laterally,
variously curved, and edged on each side with a membranous expansion
thrice their own diameter. No oscillation or radiation (?)•
The bordering membrane is so very singular a character, that it is with
some diffidence 1 admit this production to a place among the J/gce. In
the mean time, until future observations enable us to judge of its real
nature, it will rank with most propriety in a genus, all the members of
which are equally doubtful." Carm. MSS.
77. Belonia. Carm. Belonia.
Filaments minute, acicular, heaped together, submoniliform,
finally dissolving into elliptic sporidia.—Name ; /SsXowj, a needle,
from the acicular filaments.— Differing from Oseillatoria in the
absence of a gelatinous substratum, and from Lyngbya in the
nature of the filaments.
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