either over the entire surface or near the margin of the frond. There
is also no midrib, and if a few veins appear towards the base, they are
obviously of a spurious nature, and quite different from the uniform
venation observed in the Delesserioe.
The name I have bestowed upon this beautiful little group, is compounded
of two Greek words, and signifies a bright or shining leaf ;
the surface of most of the species appearing as if varnished, when dried.
1. N it o p h y l l u m o c e l l a t u m .
Frond with a roundish outline, extremely thin, quite veinless, cleft
almost to the base, the segments repeatedly divided in a manner more
or less between palmate and dichotomous, mostly linear, obtuse at the
ends, spots of granules in the segments.
Delesseria ocollata, L am o u r . E s s a i, p . 125. Ag . .Sp. A lg . v . 1. p . 187. S y s t. A lg . p . 252.
G r e v . C r y p t . F I . t . 347.
Wormskioldia oeellata, S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . 331.
Fucus ocellatus, L am o u r . D is s . t . 32.
Fucus granateus, L am o u r . D is s . t . .33. f. 3 , 4.
H a b . In the sea, attached to other Algae. Annual. June to October.
Near Torquay and at Budleigh, Mrs Griffiths.
Fronds one to five inches in length, perfectly sessile, having a
roundish or reniform outline, the width in full-grown plants being
generally equal to the length ; they are cleft nearly to the very base,
where, previous to division, it is rarely more than half an inch in
breadth : the primary segments are fiom two lines to half an inch
broad, and are repeatedly divided, mostly in a dichotomous manner,
becoming slightly narrower after each division. The inferior divisions
ai-e mostly dilated upwards, and often give oft’ three to five or more
branches at once, in a palmate manner; the subsequent ones are more
or less linear, divaricated, more regularly dichotomous, one to three
lines in breadth.
Substance extremely thin, transparent, adhering closely to paper in
drying. Colour a most delicate rose-pink, fading in old plants till they
become almost white.
A highly beautiful plant, known to exist in this country for many
years, but not distinguished as a species by British botanists till very
recently. It was communicated to Mr Turner by Miss Hutcliins and
Mr Brodie, but without fructification; at least, I conjecture that that
excellent author alludes to our species (in his observations upon his
Fucus ulvoides), when he remarks, that “ the whole frond is not above
three inches long, and every where dichotomous, with linear segments
about four lines wide.”
I have never seen a specimen with capsules: they are figured by
Lamouroux as hemispherical, with a rather acute point. Mrs Griffiths,
who has kindly communicated numerous specimens, informs me that
even the second mode of fructification is rare.
2. N it o p h y l l u m p u n c t a t u m . Tab. X II.
Frond very thin, quite destitute of veins in every part, vaguely cleft
for half its length or more into segments, which become narrower as
they subdivide, spots of granules scattered over every part of the
frond.
Delesseria punctata, Ag . S p . A lg . v . 1. p . 186. S y s t. A lg . p . 252. G r e v . F I . E d in . p . 294.
Wormskioldia punctata, S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . 331.
Fucus punctatus. W i t h . B o t . A r r . e d . 6 . v . 4 . p . 120. Sm . E n g . B o t. t . 1675. T u m .
H i s t . F u c . t . 71.
Fucus ulmides? T u r n . H i s t . F u c . t . 80.
Viva punctata, S t a c k h . In L in n . T r a n s , v . 3. p . 236.
H a b . In the sea, attached to various other Algce. Annual. Summer.
Weymouth, Stackhouse. Coast of Cornwall, Mrs Griffiths.
Swansea, Dillwyn. Orkney Islands, Rev. C. Clouston. Western
coasts of the Isle of Bute. Larne, near Belfast, Dr Drummond.
Bantry Bay, Miss Hutchins-
Root a small disk. Fronds one to several from the same base,
three to eight inches in length, one to four in breadth, of a roundish
or roundish-wedge-shaped outline, cleft from the extremity to more
than half-way down into two or three main, somewhat diverging, segments,
which are variously and often repeatedly subdivided, all becoming
gradually narrower, and ending obtusely: besides these terminal
divisions, a smaller series are generally given off from the sides in a
spreading direction. Fructification ; 1. hemispherical capsules, as large
as turnip-seed, scattered over the frond, and containing a gelatinous
mass of radiating filaments, each terminated by an obovate, red, deciduous
seed ; 2. oval or oblong spots of terziate granules, a line or more
in length, scattered over the whole surface, on distinct individuals.
Substance exceedingly thin, and delicately reticulated, transparent,
adhering to paper when dried. Colour beautiful pale rose-pink, the
capsules and sori dark.
.'aUi .• ■ii