I i i
Ser. M e l a n o s p e r m eæ . Fam. Chordariea.
P la t e CXI.
CHORDARIA FLAGELLIFORMIS, Ag.
G en . C h a r . Frond ffliform, much branched, cartilaginous, solid.
composed of densely packed, longitudinal, interlaced, cylindrical fflaments;
the periphery, of simple, club-shaped, horizontal, whorled
fflaments, and long, byssoid, gelatinous fibres. Frnctification obovate
spores, seated among the fflaments of the periphery. C h o r d a r ia
[Ag.],—from chorda,
C h o r d a r ia flagelliformu; frond subsimple, furnished with closely-set
long, simple, ffliform branches, ramuli very few or none; filaments ot
the periphery club-shaped, the terminal cellule large or small.
C h o r d a m a flageUiformis, Ag. Syn. p. 12. Lyngl. Hyd. Ban. p. 5 1 .1 .13.
Aq. Sp. Alg. vol. i. p. 166. Ag. Syst. p. 256. Hook. M. &»/. pai't 2.
p. 98. Grev. M. E d i n . G r m . Alg. Brit. - p .4 4 .t .l. H o o kM .
Brit. vol. ii. p. 275. Harv. in Mack. El. Hib. part 3. p. 183. Harv. Man.
p. 45. Wyatt, Alg. Banm. no. 57. Kiitz. Phyc. Gen. p. 332. t. 27. f. 3.
Endl. 3rd Suppl. p. 23.
G ig a r t in a flageUiformis, Lamour. Ess. p . 4 8 .
F u cus flageUiformis, El. Ban. t. 650. Turn. Syn. vol. ii. p. 335. Turn. Hist.
t. 85. Sm. E .B o t. X. 1232.
H a b . On rocks and stones in the sea, between tide-marks. Annual.
Summer. Common on the shores of the British Islands.
G e o g r . D i s t r . Abundant on tbe Atlantic shores of Europe, from Iceland to
France. Eastern coast of North America. Cape of Good Hope.
D e s c e . Boot a minute disc. Eronds tufted, from six inches to two or tlu-ee feet
in length, preserving throughout an uniform thickness, of about haU a line
furnished with a simple or sparingly forked stem, which is densely clothed
from its base to its summit with lateral branches, which issue at distances
varying from a tenth to half an inch. Branches from six to twenty inches
long, cord-Uke, perfectly simple, and generaUy naked; but now and then
furmshed with a few, fifiform, often secund ramuU, widely distant from each
other In the young plant, the branches are very short, the stem often
developing to its full extent, while the branches are rudimentary, in which
state it may readily pass for a difterent species. Spores abundantly produced
in the full-grown plant, formed at the base of the penpheric filaments.
The structure of the axis is very dense and firm, composed ol
closely combined interlacing filaments. The filaments of the periphery vary
in form as the plant advances in age; when young, they are club-shaped,
but in age more or less capitate. Colour very dark brown. Substance
cartilaginous, with a slimy coat. I t closely adheres to paper, which it
stains of a rusty colour.
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