■ 'i l ;
I
t i 'i r
! /!
in his Systema Algarum; and it must be confessed it seems
fully entitled to it. As the last-mentioned author has not
taken the capsules into his specific character, it is probable he
is not acquainted with them ; for they form in reality an excellent
discriminating character, being of a decidedly ovate
form, contracted at the base; whereas, in Chondria kaliformis
they are glohoso-hemispherical. The fructification in the latter
species precedes that of C. parvula by nearly a month. I
am informed by Mrs G r i f f i t h s , to whom I am indebted for
beautiful specimens, that the tufts are frequently so matted and
entangled that it is impossible to separate the fronds from one
another.
Fig. 1. C. parvula; natural size. Fig. 2. Portion o f a frond, with imbedded
sporidia. Fig. 3. The ternate sporidia. Fig. 4. Portion o f a frond, with
capsules. Fig. 5. Nucleus o f sporidia removed from a capsule. Fig. 6.
Sporidia ; magnified.
i' fl
h i
