PALMELLA h y a l i n a .
Green pellucid Palmella.
Class and Order CRYPTOGAMIA ALGÆ, ü m —Nat. Ord. ALGÆ, Juss.
G EN E R IC CHARACTER.
Gelalma hyalina, expansa vel globosa, granulis diseretis globosis vel ellipticis
farcia.—A g a r d h .
A hyaline gelatinous receptacle, spreading or globose, filled with distinct
globular or elliptical granules.
S P E C IF IC CHARACTER.
Palmella hyalina ; fronde globoso vel subelongato, hyalino-viridescente, granu-
P. frond globose, or somewhat elongated, pellucid, g re en ; the granules
globose, green.
Palmella hyalina, Lyngb. Hydrophyt. p. 204. t. 6Q.—Moug. et Nestl. St.
Exsicc. No. 800.—Agardh, Syst. Alg. p. 13.
H ab. In fresh-water streams. Pentland Hills, April and May.
Frond from a quarter of an inch to 1 inch in diameter, somewhat globose,
but at length frequently more or less elongated into an ovate or even
cylindrical form. Substance gelatinous and very tender, of a pellucid
watery appearance. Granules numerous, globose, green. The fronds are
produced at first on rocks and stones at the bottom of streams, and afterwards
become disengaged, and fioat on the surface.
This is one of the largest species of the genus, and probably
rare, as it has only recently been noticed on the Continent.
I t is new to the British Flora.
After the frond has lost its regular form, it is rather difficult
to recognize. I f the specimen be large, it becomes torn,
as it were, by its own weight; and even before breaking from
its attachment, I have seen it lengthened out, by lesion of its
parts, three or four inches.