M. filiformis is much the most abundant species, and is,
indeed, very generally to lie found clothing the Chorda, when the
latter grows in small shallow pools, exposed to strong sunlight.
In such localities almost every frond of Chorda lomentaria is
converted into a soft, cylindrical brush, from the multitudes of
these little parasites, clothed with their gelatinous, transparent
hairs, which, while the plant remains in the water, stand out on
every side, keeping each little filament free of its neighbour.
When drawn into the air, the whole falls together in a gelatinous
mass.
In the list of British Algse given at the conclusion of our first
volume, the names Ectocarpus simplex, Ag., and E. villum, Harv.,
occur. Since that list was printed I have made a more careful
examination of the specimens on which these names were imposed,
and fear that both are referable to young states of M.
filiformis. Never having seen an authentic specimen of Agardh’s
E. simplex, I cannot take it upon me to pronounce his plant to
be identical with the Jersey plant so named by me; but judging
from the description given by that author, I think it very probable
that his plant is the same as ours, and therefore to be
regarded as a synonyme of M. filiformis. In strict priority, should
this opinion be established, the specific name “ simplex ” would
belong to our present species, but as this word denotes a character
common to the genus, it seems undesirable to adopt it for
a. species.
Fig. 1. A plant of Chorda lomentaria infested with My r io t e ich ia m l ifo em is :
— of the natural size. 2. Fronds of the la tte r:—magnijied. 3. Small portion
of a frond — h