H a b . On rocks and planks of wood in the sea. Annual. Spring
and summer. Rocks about bigh water-mark, near Dunvaven Castle,
Mr Young. On piles in the sea, at Brighton, Mr Borrer. Coast of
Cornwall, Mr Rashleigh. On the top of a large rock, accessible at
low tides, opposite the Peakhead, near Sidmouth, in great abundance.
Bantry Bay, Miss Hutchins. On Burntisland pier, in the Frith of
Forth, Mr Walker Arnott.
Fronds growing in a thickly tufted and extensively aggregated
manner, one to three inches in length or more, capillary, flexuose,
somewhat crisped at the extremity, some of them much finer than the
others. Fructification, granules arranged in numerous transverse
series, and variable in form and number, but more or less quadrate.
Colour a dark glossy purple or greenish purple. Substance membranaceous.
In drying it does not change colour, and adheres slightly to
paper.
The fronds of this species are remarkable for a want of uniformity
in width, and by a young botanist might easily be taken for different
species. 'J'he root is composed of a tuft of minute fibres. I cannot
perceive any essential différence between the Conferva fusco-purpurea
and atro-purpurea of authors : their habit is much the same, and a
browner shade of colour is of little importance. Both are distinguished
for covering rocks to a great extent with their crowded and glossy
filaments. The rock on which I found a dark purple variety, near
Sidmouth, was within reach of the spray of the sea at high tide, and
was quite covered with it for many square feet.
G e n u s L. ENTEROMORPHA, Link, Ag. Tab. XVHI.
G e n . C h a r . Frond tubular, hollow, membranaceous, of a
green colour, and reticulated structure. Fructification,
three or four roundish granules aggregated in tbe reticulations.
Ob s. This genus, formerly constituting a section of the genus
Viva, was separated by Agardh in his “ Systema Algarum,” under
the name of Solenia, This name, however, had been long before
given to a genus of Fungi by Hoffmann, and, though discontinued for
a time, is now resumed by modern mycologists. Fnteromorpha, consequently,
a name proposed by Link for the same group, must now be
adopted, having the claim of priority over the Ilea of Fries. It is,
besides, characteristic, as it denotes the appearance and variable nature
of the species ; being compounded of two Greek words, the one signifying
form or figure, the other an intestine.
The specific distinctions of these plants are rather obscure. All of
them produce varieties ; and in regard to mere size, Fnteromorpha
intestinalis varies from two or three inches to near three feet in length,
and in width from four inches to the fineness of a hair. They are
found, some in fresh or brackish water, others in the sea.
The fructification, as described by Agardh in his generic character,
“ sporidia minutissima, densissima,” I have not been able to perceive ;
but in some species three or four granules are distinctly imbedded in
tbe reticulations—a character which farther confirms the arrangement
of the Fnteromorphæ with the U l v a c eæ .
1. E n t e r o m o r p h a in t e s t in a l is .
Frond simple inflated sinuated (often found floating).
Enteromorpha intestinalis. L in k , H o r . P h y s . B e r . p . 5.
Solenia intestinalis, Ag . S y s t. A lg . p . 185. S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . 367-
Solenia Bertoloni, A g . S y s t . A lg . p . 185. S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . 367-
Viva intestinalis, L in n . H u d s . F I . A n g . p . 568. Ag . S p . A lg . v . 1. p . 418.
Scytosiphon intestinalis, L y n g b . H y d r o p h . D a n . p . 67-
Fistularia intestinalis, G r e v . F I . E d in . p . 300.
Ilea intestinalis, G a ill, D ie t . S c . N a t . v . 53. p . 373.
Tetraspora intestinalis, D e s v . F I . A n g . p . 17.
Confei'va intestinalis, R o th . C a t. B o t . v . 1. p . 159.
V a r . ß crispa, f r o n d c om p r e s s e d , i h e m a r g in c r is p e d a n d c u r le d .
Solenia intestinalis, v a r . crispa, A g . S y s t. A lg . p . 185.
H a b . In the sea, and in brackish or fresh water ditches. Annual.
Summer. Common.
Fronds attenuated at the base, and fixed by a scutate root, often
becoming detached and floating on the surface, simple, two inches to
two feet long or more, from a line to three inches or more in diameter,
waved, wrinkled, and more or less crisped and curled, inflated, sometimes
compressed, obtuse, and often rounded at the extremity. Substance
thin, tender, and membranaceous. Colour passing from a full
herbaceous green to a pale semitransparent yellow green, changing to
white in decay. In drying, it adheres imperfectly to paper.
The variety of this species, denominated maxima by Agardh, is only
M 2