flat/ ccxxn.
P l a t e CCXXVI.
OCHLOCHÆTE HYSTRIX, Thw. M88.
G e n . C h a r . Frond disciform, adpressed. E ilam e n ts cy lin d ric a l, ra d ia tin g
from a c en tra l p o in t, irreg u la rly b ran ch ed , co n sis tin g of a s in g le series
of cells, e ach o f which is m o s t commonly p ro d u c e d above in to a rig id
in a rtic u la te d seta. Endochrome gre en . Fructification u n k n ow n .
OcHLOOHiETB [Thw., M S S .)— from 0^X05, a multitude, an d a
OcHLocHÆTE H y s trix ; plant very minute, pale green, hoary from its
numerous rigid setæ.
H ab . On stems of grasses &o., in a lake of brackish water, called “ The
Little Sea,” near Wareham, Dorset, Rev. W. Smith ; also in freshwater
ditches near Bristol, upon the leaves of mosses; very rare.
0 . H . K . Thwaites.
D e s c b . Plant disciform, frequently irregular in its outline, very minute, pale
green, hoary from the multitude of rigid setæ with which it is covered.
Pilaments closely adpressed and adhering firmly to the suhstance on which
the plant may be growing; radiating from a central point, irregularly
branched, and frequently cohering laterally. Cells oblong, each usually
fm-nished -with a very long rigid tubular diaphanous seta. Mndochrmie
granular, green. The fructification has not been observed. I t is possible
that the fresh-water specimens from the neighbourhood of Bristol may
prove specifically distinct from the Wareham plant.
For the present we have placed Ochlochoete with the Choeto-
phoreoe, from which family, however, it wül eventually have to
be removed, since it differs from Chcetophora (that is, the typical
species C. eleyans,* Ag.) and Draparnaldia in some important
* Chætophora elegans, Ag. in the state of fruit is evidently the Gongrosira
sclerococcus of Kützing, whilst the same species with opseospermata appears to
be the Chætophora longoeva of Carmichael. From the inspection of an authentic
specimen of Chætophora pisiformis, Ag., kindly given to me by my friend, the
Rev. M. J. Berkeley, I have ascertained that this species is by no means congeneric
with C. elegans, Ag., but has the fruit and setæ of Coleochæte, from which
genus it would seem to be separated only by its erect, free, not adpressed
filaments : and there can be little doubt, therefore, that Chætophora tuberculosa,
Ag., is equally allied to Coleochæte. Chætophora Berheleyi of Dr. Greville, and
C. pellita, Lyngbye, have already been figured in the present work under the
names respectively of Leathesia BerheUyi, Hai-v., and Cruoria pellita. Fries ; the
former being closely aUied to Machistea, especially to E. scutulata, Incs, ; and
the latter having an affinity rather with the N o s to c h in eæ .— Thwaites.