i
P l a t e CCCXLII.
CALOTHRIX LUTLOLA, Grev.
G e n . C h a r . Filaments destitute of a mucous layer, erect, tufted or aggregated,
fixed at the base, somewhat rigid, not oscillating. Tnle
continuous; endoclirome green, densely annulated, at length dissolved
into lenticular sporidia. C a l o t h r i x [Ag.),—from koXos-,
and 6pi$, a hair.
C a l o t h r i x lu teo la ; filaments scattered, exceedingly minute and slender,
filiform, flexible, obtuse, hyaline and pale yellowish, or containing an
opake light green, interrupted, faintly annulated endochrome.
Calotheix luteola, Grev. Crypt. FI. t. 399. Harv. in Hootc.Br. Ft. vol.ii.
p. 367. fian;. J im . ed. 1. p. 157. ed. 3. p. 234.
Calotheix melaleuca, Carm. Alg. Appin. MSS.
L e ib l e in ia luteola,iSiis, Sp. Alg. p. 276.
H a b . On marine, filiform Alg®, in tide-pools. Appin, Capt. Carmichael.
Geogk. D is t e . ? Helgoland, Kiitz.
D e sc e . Filaments of microscopic size, visible to the eye as a minute byssoid
coating to small Alg®, when seen under water, but invisible when the affected
plant is lifted into the a ir ; scattered, each thread standing apart, of
equal diameter throughout, obtuse, very slender, flexible, quite simple,
either hyaline and pale yellowish, or more or less fllled with an opake, annulated,
light-green mass. The whole plant is so minute that it requires
the highest powers of a compound microscope to make out its structure.
Our figure has unfortunately been printed in too green an
ink, and is less characteristic than I could wish; and ivill not
bear a favourable comparison with the beautiful figure given by
Dr. Greville. In one respect, however, I am unable to see this
microscopic plant either as Dr. Greville or as Capt. Carmichael
has described it, and yet we have all three had the same specimens
before us. By Carmichael, its discoverer, it is thus described
;—“ Mlaments in small tufts, a line or two in length,
exceedingly slender, tortuous, tapering, of a snow-white colour,
and so opake as to appear intensely black when viewed against
I.ii!
'H
I 'f l
i