y
ing; and tlie Rev. VV. Gregor obtained a tine lake from an infusion
with the assistance of alum.
2. I r id æ a r e n if o r m is .
Stem very short, suddenly expanding into a cartilagino-carnose
roundish simple entire frond (generally much cleft by the waves), globules
of seeds minute, scattered all over the frond.
Iridoea renifonnis, B o ry , D i e t . Cla ss. d ’H is t. N a t . v . 9. p . 16.
Halymenia renifonnis, Ag . S p . A lg . v . 1. p . 201. S y s t. A lg . p . 241. S p r e n g . S p . P I. v. 4.
p . 333. G a ill. D i e t . S c . N a t . v . 53. p . 361.
Fucus reniformis, T u r n . H i s t F u c . t . 113. S m . E n g . B o t. t . 2116.
H a b . Submarine rocks, extremely rare. Perennial? Summer and
autumn. On the beach at Niton, in the Isle of Wight, Miss Everett.
Budleigh and near Torquay, Mrs Griffiths. Coast of Cornwall, Mr
Rashleigh.
Root a dark red disk. Stem one line to near half an inch in length,
simple, or divided into two or three branches, which expand abruptly
into the fronds. Frond two to eight inches in length, sometimes as
broad, or broader than it is long, obovate, roundish or kidney-shaped,
at first simple, but rarely attaining its full size, without splitting into
several segments, which often increase both in length and breadth after
division. The whole frond is perfectly flat and even, and the margin
entire. Fructification: 1. dark red unequal scatteveà globules, about
the size of poppy-seed, composed of ovate-oblong minute seeds adhering
tenaciously together, and not furnished with any orifice. 2. Very
minute ternate granules, scattered unequally over the whole frond on
distinct individuals. Substance thickish, between cartilaginous and
fleshy. Colour, a fine blood-red, pinker in the youngest plants. In
drying it adheres to paper, and scarcely changes colour.
This remarkably fine species was discovered by Miss Everett, in the
Isle of Wight, cast upon tbe beacli. Mrs Griffiths has the merit of
finding it, in a growing state, upon some rocks close to Torquay, where
I had subsequently an opportunity of seeing it myself. To Mrs Griffiths
we are also indebted for a knowledge of the existence of the ternate
granules, which require the assistance of the microscope to perceive.
In full-grown plants, it will generally be found that the individuals
without globules of seeds possess ternate granules. A plant
kindly presented to me by M. Chauvin, as a new species of Halymenia,
with the specific name of Dubyi, appears to belong to this'
place. It was gathered by M. Chauvin on the coast of Normandy,
where it is extremely rare.
A very beautiful and singular plant, found by Miss Hill, at Ilfracombe,
is descrjbed and represented by Mr Dawson Turner as a variety
of this species. It differs in the frond, being more attenuated at
the base, of a more irregular outline, a more tender substance, and paler
colour. Agardh refers tliis variety to Iridoea edulis. I regret that I
have not materials to enable me to determine the question. The difficulty,
on the contrary, has been rather increased by a specimen found
by Miss Cutler, also at Ilfracombe, and clearly the same as Miss
Hill’s plant. This specimen is partly injured, but what remains is a
perfect segment, ten inches long, and near two inches broad, producing
a number of lobes all along the margin and at the apex ; the lobes of
various sizes, from half an inch to two inches long, of an obovate form,
two or three lines wide at their origin, and expanding to an inch or
more in the broadest part. Miss Cutler informs me, that, when recent,
it was as thick as Iridæa. edulis ; in its dried state, on paper, it
has more the colour and appearance of Iridoea reniformis. I. edulis
has never any tendency to become lobed, but a disposition to that character
is sometimes observed in I. reniformis. I am inclined to coincide
with Mr Dawson Turner, and suspect it will eventually form a
distinct species; in which case, it may bear the name of Iridoea
Hilliana.
I. reniformis is, I believe, the only example in the Order, where
ternate granules are known to be prekent.
G e n u s XLIV. HALYMENIA, Ag. Tab. XVH.
G e n . C h a r . Frond nearly fla t, or cylindrical, gelatinoso-inem-
branaceous, of a pinky red colour, more or less dichotomous,
the segments often laciniated. Fructification,
punctiform globules of.seeds imbedded in the central substance
of the frond.
Obs. The habit of the plants composing this genus, is very peculiar.
Unlike the widely expanded and simple form, which distinguishes the
frond of the preceding genus, it is here much divided, the divisions
more or less dichotomous in their disposition, and often variable in their
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