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M Y R IO N EM A s t r a n g u l a n s .
D a rk encircling Myrionenia.
C l a s s a n d O r d e r CRYPTOGAMIA ALGA:, L in n— S a t . O r d . A LG A S , J uss.
g e n e r i c c h a r a c t e r .
Massa gelatinosa effusa, e Jilis brevibus, clavatis, erectis, nudis, basi ad lartdnam
tenuem affxis, composita. Fructus; capsulte ad basin inter fila , brevi-pedi-
cellatiB erectm.
A n effused gelatinous mass, composed of short, club-shaped, erect, naked
filaments, fixed at their base to a thin expansion. Fructification; shortly
pedicellate erect capsules at the bottom, between the filaments.
S P E C I F IC C H A R A C T E R .
M y r i o n e m a strangulans; ..............................
L i n k i a strangulans, Carm. MSS.
H a b . On the smaller species of Solenia ; in summer. Appin, Captain C a r m
i c h a e l . Isles of Iona and Staffa, abundant.
Plant parasitic, and surrounding the fronds on which it grows in a most
strict embrace, and distorting them more or less, according to the number
of plants upon them. Each plant is about a line or a little more in
length, and about two-thirds less in diameter (including the frond of
the Solenia), of a blackish colour, and firm gelatinous consistence. I f
the plant be transversely divided, Solenia and all, and placed under the
microscope, it is found to be entirely composed of a multitude of naked,
club-shaped, very short, pellucid, yellowish, jointed filaments, standing
erect upon a thip membranous expansion, which is immediately attached
to the frond of the Solenia. Fructification ovate olivaceous capsules,
surrounded with a pellucid border, very shortly pedicellate, arising
from the membranous expansion, and standing erect among the filaments,
than which they are nearly two-thirds shorter.
Common as this little plant probably is, I do not believe it
was noticed by any one, till Captain C a r m i c h a e l collected
it upon the shores of Appin. Among the Western Islands it
is exceedingly abundant, especially at Iona, where it was point-
VOI.. V.