Hab. In the celebrated warm waters of Bath, spreading
rather unequally in broad velvet-like patches, of a dark
green colour: Rev. H. Davies.
“• The irregularity of its appearance arises from the filaments
being collected together into little ascending tufts,
apparently rooted in the muddy deposit of the water. Each
tu ft proves, on examination, to consist of simple uniform even
filaments, crowded together and quite pellucid, and equally
destitute of joints and branches: their diameter is not more
than the eighth or tenth thousandth part of an inch,”— Sm.
30. M IC R O C O L EU S Desmar.
Char. Filaments simple, straight, brittle, closelg striated, in
bundles, ,and enclosed within hroad, membranous, and
branched sheaths, from the apices o f which theg protrude.
Chthonoplastus Kiitzing, Phyc. Gener. p. 197.
Derivation. From giKpos, small, and k o X so s , a sheath.
This is an exceedingly beautiful and interesting genus ; the
younger branches or sheaths usually enclose but two or three
filaments, while the older contain as many as fifty or sixty :
it is difficult to conceive in what way the filaments become
multiplied within the sheath, unless it be by a longitudinal
division of them.
1. MicroCOLECS repens Harv.
Plate L X X . Fig. 3.
Char. Fronds terrestrial, decumbent, radiating, branches diverging,
curled and twisted, gradually tapering to the extremity.
Filaments large. Striæ subdistant, evident.
Oscillatoria chthonoplastes fl Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. ii.
p. 373. Oscillatoria repens Ag. Syst. p. 61. Corf,
vaginata, Eng. Bot. t. 1995. Vaginaria vulgaris Gray,
Br. Fl. i. p. 280.
Hab. “ On the naked soil by road-sides, frequent : ”
Harv.
“ This forms a dull green decumbent slimy stratum. The
frond consists of numerous curled branches, diverging from
a centre in a starry manner, and gradually tapering from a
broad base to a fine point, containing numerous deep green
filaments, which radiate and oscillate from the tips, and on
laceration issue in bundles.” — Harv.
2. Microcoleus anguipormis Harv.
Plate L X X . Fig. 1.
Char. Filaments smaller tharoin the preceding species.
M. anguiformis Harv. MSS.
Hah. Saltwater marshes.
This, although a very distinct species, is a doubtful fresh-
w;ater production, and perhaps had better to have been altogether
omitted from this work. The Algæ of our salt-
Avater marshes require a separate study.
3. Microcoleus gracilis Hass.
Plate L X X . Fig. 2,
Char. Filaments verg slender.
Hab. Near Aberdeen : Dr. Dickie.
This is another salt marsh Microcoleus. I detected it
amongst some Algæ sent me by Dr. Dickie. I t is a distinct
and pretty little species.
“ Plants, as well as animals, excite the curiosity and interest of the .
observer, first, by diversities, which distinguish parts and properties and
species ; and by similitudes, which lead to the assemblage of species into
groups, or genera and classes, &c.: secondly, by grace or beauty of form
or colour; thirdly, by analogies, or affinities of relation, traceable, more
or less remotely, throughout all the works o fth e Creator.”— DaKca«.