The English flora - SeaweedAfrica

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Mycinema] ALGiE CONFERVOIDEiE. 379
1. B. torulosa, Cam), (torulose Belonia.)
On decaying marine Algae, about half-tide level, Captain Carmichael.—
" In the beginning of autumn, vast quantities of the filamentous Algae
(Dictyo.'iphcn, Ecfocarjju^&c) are detached from their places of growth
and deposited here and there along the shore in extensive fleeces. When
these fleeces begin to decay, the Belonia makes its appearance in the
form of a very thin gelatinous pellicle of a vivid-green colour, spreading
over the surface of the decaying mass. The pellicle is made up of
straight, brittle, slightly moniliform filaments, one-fourth of a line in
length and tapering at both ends. The intervals between the striae, are
considerably longer than their diameter, and the green matter becomes
at length consolidated into elliptical sporidia, of a brownish colour, beginning
at the middle of the filament." Carm. HISS.
Tribe XVIII. Byssoide^.
Plants of doubtful affinity, related to the Fungi. Filaments
articulated, hyaline or coloured. Fructification ; granules scattered
among the filament's, or capsules.—Found on rotten wood,
among mosses, on the ground, on glass, or in chemical solutions ;
a few inhabit fresh-water, and one or tiro the sea.
78. Bys^ocladicm. Ag. Byssocladium.
Filaments arachnoid, radiating from a centre, with scattered
external granules.—Name, 8vffffo;, a kind offioigus, and z,).udoc,
a branch.
J. \$. fenestrate, Ag. (Window Byssocladium). Ag. Syst.Alg.
p. 31. Conferva fenestralis, Dillw. Conf. t. 94.
On windows and damp glass, where it forms orbicular whitish spo'.s.
79. Mycinema. Ag. Mycinema,
Filaments membranaceous, opaque, tenacious, coloured.
Name, /sm/kjjj, bjungus, and nyt«, atlwcad.— Decumbent, cobweblike
plants, growing on rotten wood; probably only imperfect
fungi.
1. M. arachnoideum, Ag. (cobweb Mycinema}; filaments
biauchrd Blender pale-yellow laxly interwoven into an arach-
noid membrane, branches scattered remote simple, articulations
variable about four times a- long a- bread. Ag. Syst. Alg.
p. :j L>.— Conferva arachnoidea, Dillw. Conf. t. < .
On rotten wood.
2. M. (nlnt, a. Ag-. (tawny Mycinema); filament! decumbent
elongated membranous equal branched. Loosely interwoven into a
oft expanded tawny stratum, articulation! thrice as lei,
broad.— Jy. SytL Alg. j>. 3d. laudoux BncycL N. 15061.
On dead trees, but 1 do not snow where found.
:;. M. rvbigindium, Ag. (rad Mycinema); filaments much
branched rigid inhered reddish infc rwoven iatoa snhaolid mass.
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