2921.
ECTOCARPUS sphaerophorus.
Globular-fruited Ectocarpus.
CRYPTOGAMIA Alga.
Gen. C h a r . Stem capillary,generally much-branched,
flaccid, jointed, bearing dark capsules.
Spec. Char. Filaments slender, short, tufted, much-
branched ; upper branches patent, opposite or
in fours, bearing patent opposite ramuli ; capsules
globose, sessile, either opposite to each
other or to a branchlet.— Harv.
Syn. Ectocarpus sphasrophorus. Carm.MSS. Hook.
Br. FI. v. 2. pt. 1. p. 326. Wyatt Alg. Damn,
no. 173. Harv. Man.p. 42.
Ectocarpus brachiatus. Ag. Syn. p. 67. Syst.
p. 162. Sp. Alg. v. 2. jo. 42. (non Conf. bra-
chiata, E. B.)
XT ARASITIC on Conferva rupestris, Ptilota plumosa, &c.
Appin, Capt. Carmichael; Bantry Bay, Miss Hutchins;
Devonshire and Cornwall, Mrs. Griffiths and Mr. Ralfs;
Welsh coast, Mr. Ralfs. Our specimens were gathered by
Mr. Ralfs at Penzance in March.
Varying somewhat in habit, and more in colour, being
olive, yellowish, or rusty brown; the fruiting plants are in
general short, as represented in our plate, but specimens
occur which are three or four inches long and far more diffuse.
Threads straight, much-branched; branches binate or
quaternate, branchlets mostly opposite; articulations scarcely
as long as broad, sometimes much shorter; septa pellucid;
endochrome often darker in the centre so as to appear fas