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C RT P TO G A MIA Alga.
Gen. Char. Fructification fcarcely perceptible, in a
membranous jelly-like fubftance.
Spec. Char. Seffile, roundith, plaited, waved, of an
olive green.
Syn. Tremella Noftoc. Linn. Sp. P I 1 6 2 *. Hudf.
5 6 4 - With. V. 4 . 8 0 . Relb, 4 4 1 . Sibtb. 3 9 0 .
Ulva terreftris pinguis et fugax. R ail Syn. 6 4 .
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X HE right honourable Lady Arden, in her refearches for
Sung,, met with this fine fpecimen of the Tremella Noftoc,
which is not indeed an uncommon plant in paftures, or on
gravel walks, after rainy weather, at various feafons of the
year, though feldom fo large as is here reprefented. It grows
very flightly attached to the ground, of a tender gelatinous
fubftance, forming a vanoufly convoluted waved and inflated
leaf, of a dull or olive green, quite fmooth. On the return of
dry weather, it fuddenly dries up, becomes black and brittle,
and dimmifhes fo much in fize as to be eafily overlooked. Its
Irudiifjcation has not, to our knowledge, been obferved 1 but
there !s every reafon to fuppofe it is propagated by feeds,
which muft be lodged in the gelatinous fubftance. The generic
character therefore between this vegetable and the Ulva
is by no means clear. The latter indeed are more membranous,
and for the moft part of marine origin ; but we are not
yet furmflied with fatisfaftory charafters to difcriminate them
from this and fome other Tremella. Ray and Dillenius make
this an Ulva.
. ^ his Angular production has given rife to many ftrange
ideas. The vulgar fuppofe it the remains of a fallen ftar, or
of a Will-of-the-Wifp. Some Italian philofophers have mif-
taken for it a gelatinous fubftance which is nothing more than
the remains of frozen frogs, as Dr. Withering has very fatif-
factonly {hewn, and thence it was by chemical analyfis proved
to be an animal! Others have made a fimilar miftake refpeft-
mg young aquatic fnails. See Tour on the Continent, V. 3 . 150 .