S I
S i t e -
E C H IN E L L A c ir c u l a k i s .
Circular Echinella.
C l a s s a n d O h d e b CRYPTOGAMIA ALG;E, Linn— N a t . O r d . CHMTOPHOROIDEJE,
Grev— ALGiE, Juss. &c.
GEN ERIC CHARACTER.
Corpuscula minuta, subgelalinosa, sparsa, vel in massa congesta, sessilia vel sti-
pitata, subhyalina, granulis coloratis internis.
Minute gelatinous bodies, scattered or crowded into a dense mass, sessile or
stipitate, subhyaline, and containing coloured granules.
S PE C IF IC CHARACTER.
E c h i n e l l a circularis; Jilis simplicibus, strictis, longiiudinaliter aqualibus, ccrm-
pactis, cuneatis, in circulo piano dispositis.
E. filiform bodies simple, straight, equal in length, compact, wedge-shaped,
ranged in a plane circle.
E c h i n e l l a circularis, Crev. in Wem. Trans, v. 4. p. 213. t. 8. f. 2. et Fl. Fdin.
ined.
H ab. In marshes, attached to leaves, straws, &c. and in rivulets. Near
Edinburgh, Mr W a l k e r A r n o t t . Dumbryden Quarrie s; and in the
King’s Park. Spring.
Forming either a dense dark green mass, ^-1 inch broad, of a slight sub-
metallic lustre, or dispersed and attached irregularly to dead leaves, &c.
in w atery places. Under the microscope, the individual plants are found
to be very minute, perfectly circular and plane, each circle being composed
of wedge-shaped filiform transparent bodies, more or less hyaline
at the extremities. The circles are of various sizes, and, from their fragile
nature, rarely found entire. Each filiform body contains a greenish-
yellow mass. In the centre o f each circle is an unoccupied space, probably
its place of attachment.
This highly curious plaut is, if possible, more extraordiuary
than the two species already figured iu this work. Its regularity,
and singular structure, are truly wonderful, and at first
sight, it has more the appearance of a delicate work of art than