1
•i
That there are two species of this curious genus, is now, I
believe, generally admitted ; and, as the one under the name of
Fucus pygmoeus, and the other under that of Lichen confmis,
are very imperfectly represented in “ English Botany, I have
not hesitated to introduce figures of them in the present work.
My principal inducement, however, for so doing, is the^ power
which recent examinations have afforded me, of delineating the
seeds, and describing the nature of the fructification, which, to
the best of my belief, has hitherto remained a desideratum.
I t is not surprising that one of these plants should have
been arranged with the Lichens hy A c h a r i u s and Sir J a m e s
E d w a r d S m i t h , considering they were unacquainted with
the nature of the fruit ; for, in regard to mode of growth, both
to the naked eye and under the microscope, Lichina confmis
seems to he equally allied to the Lichens and the Algce ; and;
had not Lichina pygmcea been previously acknowledged as an
Alga, L . confinis might perhaps have remained among the lichens
until this day. The great affinity between both plants
cannot; however, now escape the observation of the cryptogam^t,
independently of the fructification, as the advanced state of this
department of botany requires more rigid investigation than waB
formerly necessary or practised. A g a r d h has therefore placed
them together under his genus Lichina, a name expressive of
their lichenoid habit. That eminent algologist neverthdess,
observes, in regard to the fructification, “ Fructus nondum bene
cognitus. Tubercula ut fructus Ficus, apice poro pertusa non
aliis sporidiis detectis, quam fila minutissima moniliformia immersa.”
T 11 J
In a recent journey into Devonshire, I collected, among
other marine plants, specimens of Lichina pygmcea, in so perfect
a state, that I was induced to examine the fructification
with the aid of a microscope, and succeeded in observing the
seeds in the first tubercle I opened. This, I apprehend, wp
partly owing to the circumstance of my having taken a thin
horizontal slice, which I subsequently found always successful.
The seeds of Lichina confinis were in the same mode of dissection
equally obvious. Thus it is that chance frequently assists
the investigations of the naturalist.
I t is worthy of remark, that L . confinis is always situated
nearer high-water mark than L . pygmcea ; the latter I have
frequently found covered at mid-tide.
Fig. 1. Usual size o f L. pygmcea. Fig. 2. Large specimm gathered in Devon-
shire ; natural 'size. Fig. 3. A single plant. Fig. 4. Tubercle. Fig. 5.
Tubercle divided. Fig. 6. Old tubercle having lost its contents. Fig-7-
Portion o f a horizontal slice, as seen through the micmscope. i \g. 8. Ap-^
pearance q f the fdaments in which the seeds arc imbedded. I ig . <). Oeeas,
magnified.
mm i