Hoop£J\ (3/ INTRODUCTION TO ? AI.OOI-OJKY5 CATALOGUE OF AMERICAN ALGJE, OR SEA-WEEDS, ACCORDING 10 THE LATEST CLASSIFICATION OF PROF, HARVEY, BY JOHN HOOPER. BROOKLYN: > ■ BROOKLYN: PUBLISHED BY JOHN HOOPER. October 1, 1850. INSCRIBED TO MRS. DIETZ. Madam,— In this humble attempt to awaken an interest in this subject, and to regis- ter, as far as I am acquainted, a catalogue of genuine American Algae, I am actuated only by a motive to advance a science, the study of which had afforded me so much pleasure, and in which, I feel assured, you take much interest. I was induced to inscribe it to you, Madam, because it is a branch o'f Natural History free and open to be perused by temales as by men—a branch which men have not entirely appropriated to themselves; likewise, because ladies in Great Britain have been so successful at to make some of the most important discoveries, and aided in rendering assistance in raising Algology to the proper rank it now m.iin'ains as a class in Natural History. Ladies hive also excelled in this country in the beautiful display of specimens in their albums, and deserve much credit not only for preserving many species from oblivion, but also for awakening thereby an interest in this subject of those who could not otherwise have been enlisted. F.ngland boast proudly and justly of her Mrs. Griffiths, Miss Culler, and Miss Hutchins. Give us time, opportunity, and encouragement, and why shot.Id not thp names of Mrs. Dietz, Mrs. Fisher, and Miss French be as proudly hailed by Americans for the eflbrts they will make to place t-his neglected science on the same exalled en.inence it lus attained in Europe. Most respecl fully, JOHN HOOPER. INTRODUCTION TO ALGOLOGY. SONG OF THE SEA-WEED. I am born in crystal bower, Wnt-re the despot hath no power To trail and turn the oozy fern, Or trample down the fair sea flovve'r. I am born where human skill Cannot bend me to its will ; Nnne can delve about my root, And nurse me for my bloom and fruit: I am left to spread and grow In my rifted bed below, Till I break my slender hold As the porpoise tumbleth o'er me, And on I go—now high—now low— With the ocean-world before me. Eliza Cook. In selecting this branch of Natural History as the theme for this little treatise, I am not actuated by the belief lliat it is of more importance, or that its study is more fascinating and calculated to elicit a livelier interest, than any other; fori am impressed that every branch of Natural History is equally important, equiil'y interesting ; and that every thing appertaining to the book of nattne possesses wilhin itself a fascinating power, which, when under- stood, cannot fail to awaken the purest admiration in the human mind ;—but I am induced to lake this subject as a page in God's book hitherto overlooked and neglected in this country—a page which, I. know, requires only to be opened to be duly appreciated by those who can look in nature, and there see nature's God. I am aware that this class, Algae, is in the lowest scale of vege- table organism ; that its liabitat being the mighly deep, it is f iriher from pur view; that we therefore do not come every day in contact with it; that its beauties and its uses are mostly hidden from us. 4 These things I know well; but who, I inquire,,. he that will p* .„mo that the smallest, the lowest of God's works, are o ins g nificant, so uninteresting, as to merit our contempt, or »en neglect? What is it, I ask, which renders us so sup no, to he bruie creation,-what, but our glorious intellectuah y -U a generous endowment which enables us to un erstand and appre Lte the works of the Creator. The low ^k n form n^he chain of the creation cannot render it unimportant, for noih.ng is low which God has made, nor uninteresting; for in these very humble links we can frequently the more plainly trace the affinii.es and analogies of link with link, of individuality 10 generality ; and thus testing the beautiful harmony and un.ty which pervade the uhole. Snap asunder these lower links, these neglected objects, and what becomes of the chain 1 Where will be its un.ty ?. The works of the Creator are a whole: every individual being a l.nk in that unity, every one is therefore necessary for its harmony, and none are so exalted as to be independent of the others ; nor are there any so debased as not to claim kindred and affinity with all and with each As to their remoteness from our every-day contact, I know that there are, " far in the sunless retreats of the ocean, fair flowers no mortal eye may see." I know, too, that »the works of God are many and wondrous, and they seek them out who del.ghtelh there- in " And who is he that will acknowledge he does not delight therein '< It is true that the learned scholar, in order to impress upon the minds of his pupils, directs their astonished intellect to the starry firmament, to prove to them the infinity of creation. Y\ e feel no less the reverential admiration excited by the contemplation of the mighiy worlds, ever revolving, never tiring, and which per- petually proclaim, "The hand that made us is Divine;" but we do maintain that these lesser objects,—these earthly ihings,—how- ever minute to our simple minds, as loudly proclaim the Divine power that formed them, the perfection and infinity of creation, as do those vastly distant bodies which our minds can comprehend only through analogy and hypothesis, whilst these earthly particles can be taken in the very hollow of one's hand, and there demon- strated. Is there any who doubt? Let such a one take a look through a good microscope, and behold the courses of the o>bs of sap in Iheir circulation ; or at the motion of the partichs of blood through the animal system, even in its lowest organism,--and .his head will bow in humility in contemplating the beauty, harmony, # and unity—the infinite perfectability of these despised or neglected objects. Of our Algae, lake one of its lowest forms,—some of the Conferva. Its means of fructification appear so different from the generality of vegetable bodies, that it astonishes the invesiigalor, who may thereby have been led into the error that they are a com- pound of vegetable and animal bodies. The germ of vegetation is contained within the frond, free from spore or confinement of any kind, and moves up and down the filament in which it is enclosed, as by volition. When at maturity, one of the cells bursts, and emits the active little body in the form of gelatine, to which is attached a small hair-like protuberance, by which the germ is pro- pelled actively through the water, as by volition, until it meets with some favorite location or body to which it attaches itself, grows, and becomes similar to its parent plant. Even observing and ex- perienced naturalists have been deceived by these appearances, and Professor Agardh stated that they were first plants!, then animals, and then again planls. Take the lowest of animal formations,—the Medusae,, for instance. It emits gelatinous substances to which are attached cilia, by which they are propelled through the water as by volition, until they find some favorite object to which they become attached and grow like a stalked plant. When they have attained a certain stage, they form on the apex saucer-like bodies, which, as they mature, fall off, and each saucer becomes a young Medusae, like its parent. Naturalists have likewise been_mistaken by ihese appearances, and have declared that the Medusas is first animal, then vegetable, and again animal. Here is analogy and affinity illustrated more forcibly than are met with in more highly organized bodies of creation. It is but within these few years that any naturalists have paid deserving attention to Algology in this country, contenting them- selves with ihe position which the glorious Swede had given them among the Cryptogamia; namely, four genera—Fucus, Ceramium, Ulva, and Conferva. But since the days of Linnaeus, the free uses of good microscopes have evolved much light upon the nature, habits, and characteristics of these planls, which have compelled a new classification, and they now stand in their properly elevaled position, as a class in Natural History ; and this class, Algology, contains many well-defined orders, every one composed of many established genera. Mv small catalogue already numbers seven- teen orders of American species. * 6 Algology on the continent of Europe has lately been studied with much zeal, and many talented naturalists have signalized them- selves by the discoveries they have made and ihe improvements in the classification which they have effected. The names of Lamou- roux, Lyngbye, Agandh, Turner, Velley, Berkeley, Greville, Mon- tague, Harvey, and Mrs. Griffiths, are an array of latent sufficient to extract light from darkness, truth from error, and intelligence from the mighty depths of the ocean. But in our country, until ihe last few years, darkness has reigned supreme upon this subject, and the flowers of the sea have remained unculled, except by Borealis, until Professor Bailey, of West Point, lent his investigating talent to the subject, and thereby awakened a little knot of followers, who will be untiring in their labors, from its becoming a labor of love. To Mr. Bailey I am indebted for nearly all 1 know of the subject, for it was by his kind assistance I learnt the A, B, C in this fascin- ating book. It was through his generous encouragement that I waded on from lesson to lesson, until my book has attained a respect- able size, and to rne has become the interesting companion of my leisure. For the advancement of this science we are much in- debted to many ladies, who have effected much by the beautiful display which their skilfull ingenuity has made of specimens, which has awakened an interest in the subject of persons who otherwise could never have been enlisted. Dr. Harvey, of Dublin, has like- wise been amongst us taking notes and observations, and is now engaged upon a work on this science, which will form a foundation- stone whereon the American Algologist may build with safety. The coming in of the new year may be hailed with hopes by the American Algologist, when the Nerias Boreahs Americana shall appear, for hitherto we have had nought but European authority, and we have consequently been at sea without rudder or compass to guide us'from the great daikness wherein we have been involved.* * In Professor Hitchcock's report of the flowerless plants of Massachusetts, in 1S35, he only names eleven species; and in 1S38 Dr. Torrey sent to the elder Agardh about the same number; and this was all that had been effected in our Marine Algae until Professor Bailey withdrew the veil of darkness from Neptune's garden, and prepared for his followers so plenteous a harvest. And Mr. Bailey, in 184,ii, when he published his list of American Algae, only had met with. 172 species, foretelling truly that many new species would be added thereunto. But, even now, but littlej very little, has been done on this side the Atlantic. We need workers in this harvest field, for truly the fruit bends to the hand of the collector. It is true Massachusetts Bay, and a few other portions of our Eastern coast, have yielded to 7 In the mean time, let us keep stirring; let us collect material; let us register our observations, that we may be well prepared to fill up satislactorily the spaces which Mr. Harvey will leave for us to do. Let every one desirous of advancing a knowledge of the marine botany of our country, so as to place it upon as respectable a footing as it has acquired in Eurpbpe, investigate the shores of their locality—observe, collect, make notes, communicate, exchange with others, and a few years will place American Algology side by side with that of Europe. What should act as a further stimulus to our exertions is the almost unexplored field open before us, where we cannot fail to reap a plenteous harvest. Unlike England, where every rock, pool, and boulder have been scraped, and the depths of ocean been dredged in search for their habitat, habits, and -^characteristics ; many, very many parts of our coasts lie altogether untouched for such an object; and even what has been done remains yet to be critically re-examined, and many truly American species will be detected to have been confounded with European, in consequence of depend- ance upon dried and imperfect specimens which alone may have been compared Those beautiful albums of seaweed, so ingeniously prepared by ladies for presents,'&c, should be sought for and encouraged even by the scientific, for they not only create a love and taste for their collec- tion, and thereby secure pleasurable, cheerful, and consequently healthful exercise to those engaged in it, but it snatches and pre- serves from oblivion many rare and beautiful specimens which might escape the researches of the merely scientific. It is not my intention nor desire to urge a classification of our Algae, impressed as I am of the magnitude of the undertaking, especially with the crude material we have yet prepared ; but let each and every one of us work diligently ; let us collect the material from which the structure must be raised ; let each one store up his observations in his note book ; let htm encourage his neighbor by imparting what he has learnt; let him collect every species, as opportunity presents,—and we shall not lack a master- i the albums of the ladies man)' of its floral treasures ; but very few others than the showiest specimens have been sought for and preserved, and until very lately New York Hay remained unbroken ground, and Loug Island Sound still fi^hs with n»srlect. For a few days this summer I explored its shores at Greenport, and almost every species I found were new to me. 8 hand who will therewith be enabled to form a classification of American Alga?, equal to the standard of any in Europe. Sweden has her Agardh, France her Monlagne, Ireland is justly proud of her Harvey, Scotland of her Landsborough, Wales of her Kalfs, and England of her Griffiihs and her Greville; and should this country, whose shores are lashed by the Atlantic and the Pacific—whose territory extends from the torrid to the frigid zone—whose inland lakes are equal to so many'seas,—lack a genius to do justice to this branch of science? We hear a sound from West Point, and echo answers, No! We have our Bailey. Let us, then, gather round Professor Bailey ; let us supply him with the products of our col- lections, of our notes and observations, and I feel assured he will do this subject and this country ample justice in the emanation he will present to us; and ^e shall* then stand side by side of the other nations, and our marine plants will be known and acknowledged by all scientific bodies. To the unpractised collector it may not be amiss to give a-few short diiections for collecting and preserving specimens. If the Green Series be your pursuit, you will find them chiefly from high to half tide mark, or in fresh water. If the Olive series, they may be mostly found from half to low tide mark ; and the Ked Series will be found the most plentiful from low tide mark. But there are abundant exceptions to these general rules. Rocky shores are the most prolific in specimens. In collecting, several bottles should be provided for receiving your fine and delicate specimens, for,*if mixed in a mass, or with coarse species, they will be much injured, if not spoiled. In the display of specimens, great care should be taken to do it to advantage, for it is very agreeable to behold their beauties to the best advantage ; and although some naturalists assume to despise such display, I find that even they always prefer specimens so pre- pared by others. Two dishes of water are necessary for this opera- tion—the one to wash, the other to disentangle them in, and like- wise to display them in proper form. Good while paper should be selected, and cut in sizes to suit ihe collector. One of these papers must be placed under the plant in the dish of water, and when the plant is arranged by aid of a point, which should not be too sharp, the paper should then be carefully withdrawn from the water. If a fine and gelatinous specimen, the ramuli will be washed together, and much disfigured in consequence. To rectify 9 this evil, one side of the paper must be gently dipped again in the water, only touching the disarranged ramuli, and so on all round the plant,,until properly adjusted. After thus far progress has been made, pieces of common muslin should be laid gently over the plartf, to absorb the moisture and coloring matter which might escape; then placed in a book or under other slight pressure until nearly or quite dry. Then withdraw your muslin, and place the plants under considerable,pressure. This done, your specimens are ready for your cabinet or your album. The lime required for this operation is but little, as practice will give speed and suggest facili- ties. Never foiget to write date and location upon your specimen, as it may save you future difficulty in your study. The form and structure of Algae are very vaiied,—some being so simple and minute as to be composed of one cell or sac, sufficient to contain the germ for propagation. Others, as the Macrocystis luxurians, are so extensive and compoundly ramified, as to cover a vast area in circumference, and to exceed the highest forest tree in altitude. Captain Marryatt, in his Naval Officer, page 15$, says— " There is a remarkable peculiarity on the Island of Tristan D'Acunha. Its shores, to a very considerable extent out to sea, are surrounded with the plant called Fucvs Maximus, mentioned by Capt. Cook ; it grows to the depth of 60 fathoms, and reaches in one long stem to the surface, when it continues to run along to the enormous length of three or four hundred feet, with alternate branches at every foot of its length. " Thus, in the stormy ocean, grows a plant higher and of greater length than any vegetable production on the surface of ihe earth, not excepting the Bannian tree, which, as its branches touch the earth, takes fresh root, and may be said to form a separate tree. " These marine plants resist the most powerful attacks of ihe mightiest elements combined;—the winds and the waves in vain combine their forces against them : uniting their foliage on the bosom of the waters, they laugh at the hurricane and defy its power. The leaves are alternate, and when the wind ruffles the water, they flap over one against the other, with a mournful sound. " The branches or tendrils of these plants are so strong and buoyant, that when several of them happen to unite, a boat cannot pass through them. 1 tried with my feet what pressure they would bear, and I was convinced that, with a pair of snow shoes, a man might walk over them." 10' Some are so robust, as the Lessonia, &c, as to be mistaken fof wood, when cast in quantities upon the shore ;' so that ships have been laden with them for fuel : others so slender, as the Conferva, as to comprise a simple filament of single cells. Some are so local in their habits, as to be found only in certain latitudes; others*so cosmopolite, as to extend wherever the ocean flows. Some are con- fined to the close limits of a tide pool ; others, as Sargassum bac- ciferurn, are wanderers upon the mighty deep, and without a local habitation. But this class of planls, however simple or compound in their structure, are invariably of cellular tissue, and inhabitants of the water. In the character of their fructification they are very varied, but differ altogether from every other class in Botany. The three different series, the Olive, Red, and Green, vary so much from each other in this respect, as lo form three natural divisions in Algology. Yet, slill the affinity is maintained so as lo bind ihem together in one class ; but the difference is so great, as not to be admitted within the compass of any order in any of the other series. Unimportant as this class in Botany may appear here, in Europe it has not been so consideied, as the laborious wojks of many learned authors can testify. I need only enumerale Dillenius, Hud- son, Stackhouse, Dr. Walker, Dr. JS'eill, Turner, Dr. Montagne, Milne Edwards, Mr. Ralfs, Sir W. Hooker, Lamaroux, Agardh, J Aganih, Capt. Carmichael, Dr. Greville, Dr. Landsborough, and Dr. Harvey—names of sufficient furce lo proclaim its importance. Yet, with all the evidences and aigurnenls these authors have adduced, few things are more common than the question, "Of what use is this study ?." If ihe replies already written in answer to this inquiry be insufficient it appears thai, nothing can convince such minds. If knowledge for the sake of knowledge itself—if by an augmented knowledge we are exalled above ihe mere animal__if an inlimacy with the natural objects by which we are surrounded__if an insight into ihe living book of God, be of no importance, then, indeed, are arguments vain, and lo such the beauties of God will remain a sealed book, and they may " lay up the talents" which God has vouchsafed ihem "in a napkin." But ihere are a few__ and that knowledge is refreshing—who delight to search out, and ponder over, and take pleasure in investigating the infinite harmony and unity of every created thing, and love to trace such through the affinity and analogy of every object, even the simplest, with the 11 next kindred object, and reverence the Almighty Architect who hath reared a structure for our dwelling-place so diversified and so unique—so wondrous, and yet so necessary. The green, slimy- looking substance on the stagnant pond is looked upon too commonly with loathing, believing, as many do, that it is corruption emanating from feculent water. Poor thoughtless ones ! Had they but com- mon inquisitiveness upon such matters—did they not deem these portions of creation too contemptible for their inquiry, they would have ascertained that the green slime was a beautiful Alga, pleasing to the eye, and, by its act of vegeiating, freeing that stagnant pool of its impurities, which might otherwise spread around pestilence and death. Surely this little fact is worth knowing. But let us advert to more comprehensible arguments : let us speak of dollars and cents. From what bodies in nature is kelp extracted ? Algag. From whence is iodine chiefly obtained ? Algae. What constitutes the sea-board farmer's second most important crop ? Algas. SONG OF THE SEA-WEED. The Vraic ! the Vraic ! oh, thp Vraic shall be The theme of our chanting mirth ; For we come to gather the grass of the sea, To quicken the grains of the earth. This grass it groweth where no man moweth, All thick and rich and strong, And it meeteth our hand on the desolate strand, Ready for rake and prong. So gather and carry, tor often we need The nurturing help of the good Sea-weed. The Vraic-! the Vraic ! come, take a farewell Of your bounding and billowy home; No more will ye dive in.the fathomless cell, Or leap in the sparkling foam ; Far from the Petrel, the Garnet, and Grebe, Thou shalt be scattered abroad, And carefully strewn on the mountain glebe, To add to tha harvest hoard. The land must be tilled, the tiller must feed, And the corn will be helped by the good Sea-weed. The Vraic ! the Vraic ! pile it on the fire ; Let it crackle and smoke in the wind, And a smouldering heap of treasure we'll keep In the ashes it leaveth behind. 12 On to the furrow, on to the field- Dust to dust is the claim ; 'Tis what the prince and the pilgrim yield, And the Sea-weed giveth the same. The land must be tilled, the tiller must feed, But he'll mingle at last with the good Sea-weed. Then I think that a knowledge of these things is of some pecu- niary importance. But we need not pause here in our relation, for many are the articles of luxury made from these same Algae. But if we are not so arrogant that we measure the usefulness of God's creation by the dollars it will place in our pockets, we shall direct our attention to the services it supplies lo all the other parts of the great unity. We shall not be forgetful of its agency in diffusing oxygen and other chemical bodies through the water, rendering them thereby healthful and sweet. We should think of the shelter and food they afford to the myriads of animated creatures with which the same God vtfno formed us has peopled the very depths of the sea ; and we should then humbly acknowledge that God is great, and the works of his hands are necessary, good, and well to be known. And, moreover, there is another and still greater advantage derived from the study of natural objects. It secures to the col- lector a cheerful and healthful exercise, which cannot fail to yield its reward. But the Rev. Dr. Landsborough hath written words upon this subject which I cannot equal, wherefore his paragraph shall answer my purpose. " The naturalist knows nothing of tedium, vita—that vampire ennui which renders life a burden to thousands. To him every hour is precious. He may have little leisure for his favorite pur- suit ; but even those scraps of time which occur in the busiest life, and which many allow to be lost, he gathers up as precious frag- ments. Habits of observation, of patient research, of accurate discrimination, and orderly arrangement, are gradually acquired. Wherever he is—on the wild moor or on ihe shore of the sea—he learns to see thousands of beautiful, wonderful things, which the untrained, uninitialed eye never observes. Is he healthy? His rural rambles are conducive to the continuance of health. Is he in the pursuit of health ? Health flees from the man who sets out in direct, pursuit of it. But let him have an interest in the wonders of nature—in the works of God's hand;—meditating on ihem, he for- 13 gets his ailments, and health, which he ceases to pursue, by the blessing of God often comes, as it were, of its own accord. His mind is soothed and refreshed, and the salutary influence is felt by the enfeebled body." There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, There is a rapture on.the lonely shore, There is society where none intrudes, By the deep sea, and music in its roar. Byron. I've tracked the paths of dark wild wood, No foot-fall (here but my own; I've lingered beside the moaning flood, But I never felt alone. There were lovely things for my soul to meet, Rare work for my eye to trace; I held communion close and sweet With my Maker—face to face. Eliza Cook. To any person who can snatch an hour or so occasionally to wander on the sea shore in pursuit of Algae, there are many advan- tages. He not only becomes belter acquainted with the habits and characteristics of the objects of his favorite study, and enriches his cabinet with new and rare specimens, but it compels him to become familiar with a vast variety of other natural objects. He observes numerous species of aquatic birds, and knows more of their real history than many a parlor student, who has won a passing fame by writing hard names, of compound Greek and Latin, upon Ornitho- logy in his study. He cannot fail to meet with beautiful shells, and observe the habits of the various molluscous animals lo which they belong—a knowledge gained, to which many, possessing splendid cabinets of shells, are strangers. The Algologist has seen with his own eye* the living Scallop glide through the waters, by swiftly opening and shutting his shell continuously. Some Choncologists have only read of such. The Algologist, in his sea-side rambles, meets with the Heart Urchin and the Star-fish, and perceives at once their affinity. He meets, loo, with a multitude of Polypes, from the simple Coryne and the beautiful Actiniae to the compound Helianthoida. He will observe the Crustacea shed his shell,—a fact doubted by some cloister naturalists, but known to every lover of Algology who collects his own specimens. The beautiful Jelly 14 Fish; and their strange metamorphoses, are familiar to his investiga- tions; and even the tare Cuttle Fish, with his shell-less body, is no stranger to his observations. But, above all, he learns the secret haunts and natural abiding-places of the much-loved objects of his pursuits. He verily hears the song of the Sea-weed. SONG OF THE SEA-WEED. Now I have taken my course to the shore, Where yellow sand covers the crystal and amber ; Serenely I dwell with the rosy-mouthed shell, Where limpets are thick and the tiny crabs clamber. A young child is roving, and soon he espies My rich curling threads as they mount in the spray; He steps mid the green stones, and eagerly cries, " Oh ! that beautiful Sea-weed, I'll bear it away." All earnestly gazing, he stretches to reach, But a swilt-spreading wave has rolled over the beach ; It hath carried me back from the sun-lighted strand, » And the young child beholds me far, far from the land. He runs through the ebb-surf, but vain the endeavor— I am gone, my fair boy, I am gone, and forever ; Thou wilt covet full many bright things, but take heed They elude not your grasp, like the pretty Sea-weed. Eliza Cook. In his course of studies, the Algologist has displayed before his eyes the very link which unites the vegetable and the animal king- doms ; as also the link which joins that of the vegetable and min- eral world. In the first instance, that link is contained in the Diatomacea; in the second, Corallinece. In making this statement, I have been asked to show this link; to place my finger upon jt. I cannot do so; but does it, therefore, not exist? Not at all. I haye read somewhere a similar demand answered by the following proposition :— Twilight contains the link which divides day from night. Twilight contains the link which unites light and dark- ness. Please to lay your finger upon that very link. It cannot be done. Does, therefore, that link not exist in twilight ? Neither can I place my finger upon the link which unites the animal and the vegetable kingdoms. But, still, it there exists. The Infusorial animal is contained in Diatomaceae : so, too, is the Alga contained in Diatomaceae. Still I cannot show the exact link any more than it can be shown to me the exact link which unites light and dark- in ness in twilight. But surely the powers of the Almighty must not be meted by our limited perceptions. Mystery only commences where our knowledge terminates ; for where our knowledge extends there is no mystery, but harmony and unity. Affinity and analogy pervade all the works of God. Why does one clime and one soil endue The blushing poppy with an orJjhge hue, Yet leave the lily pale, and tinge the violet blue ? Prior. The color of Algae is as varied and as beautiful as our land- flowering planls ; for although the Alga bears no visible flower, yet its Maker has diffused through its frond, filaments, ramuli, and alb, every hue which the imagination can picture;—the sombre black weeds of the rocks, as the Fuci; the dingy olive of the deep sea, as ihe Laminati; ihe shining grass green, as the Ulvi; the deep blood red, as in the Rhudymenia; ihe deep pink, as in the Cal- lithamnioni; the delicate rosy pink, as in the Grijjithsiai; the varied purple, as in :the Porphyri; and the changeable iridicient hues of the Jridcea. " Who can paint Like Nature? Can imagination boast, Amid her gay creation, hues like these*? What hand can mix them with that matchless skill, And lay them on so delicately fine, , And lose Ihem in each othtr, as appears In every bud that blooms." There being no legitimate work published upon our American Algae, I have no other resource, in giving a catalogue of our native species, than to adopt Professor Harvey's system, arranged for the British Algae. In doing so, I shall feel somewhat at a loss when I meet with American genera which are not found in Great Britain; and must, therefore, introduce those where I may think they have the greatest affinity. I have many, also, which are new or unde- termined : these I intend adding in a miscellaneous addenda; hoping, at some future time, when Dr. Harvey's much-desired work appears, lo be able to give them their proper station in the American classification. 16 CLASSIFICATION OF AMERICAN ALG.E, ACCORDING TO PROF. HARVEY'S MOST RECENT WORKS. Series I. MELANOSPERME.E, or OLIVE-COLORED ALG^E. All the Melanosperms are marine, of olive color. Spores olive, either external or in proper receptacles. The Melanosperms com- prize six orders, namely— 1. FuCACEiE. 4. DtCTYOTACEiE. 2. SporocunacEjE. 5. Choroar»ace.k. 3. Laminariace^e. 6. Ectocarpaceje. Order I.-FUCACE.E. Frond inarticulate ; leathery or membranaceous. Spores im- mersed in the frond. The Fucaceae contains five genera, namely— I. Sargassum. III. Cystoseria. II. Hahdrys. IV. Fucus. V. Himanthalia. I. Sargassum. Agardh. Distinct, stalked, nerved leaves, and simple stalked air-vessels. Conceptacles spherical, containing spores and tufted antheridia,com- municating through numerous pores to axillaiy clusters in small linear receptacles. S. vulgare, Agardh ; Greenport, L. I. S. bacciferum, Turner; New York and Massachusetts Bays. S. Montagnei, Bailey ; Long Island Sound. II. Halidrys, or Sea Oak. Lynbye. Frond compressed, pinnated wiih branches. Air vessels stalked, lanceolate, leafless. Receptacles stalked, terminal. H. Siltquosa, Lynbye. ; Stonington. III. Cystoseira. Ag.—Name, a chain of bladders. Frond much branched and bushy. Branches very slei der, and containing chains of air-vessels immersed in the substance of the plant- Receptacles terminal. C ericoides, Goodwin and Woodward ; Florida. 17 IV. Fucus. Linn. Frond dichotomous. Air-vessels innate and usually in pairs. Mid-ribbed. Spores lateral or terminal. F. vesiculosus, Linn.; Common. F. nodosus, Lamouroux. F. serratus, Lamouroux ; Newburyport F. Mackaii, Turner ; New York Bay. V. Himanthalta. Lyngb.—Name, Sea-thong. Frond top-shaped. Receptacles very long, much forked from the centre, strap-shaped. H. lorea, Lyngb.; Massachusetts. Order II.—SPOROCHNACEiE. Harvey. Inarticulate, olive-colored. Spores attached to jointed filaments, free or joined in masses. Contains two American genera, namely— I. Desmarestia. II. Arthrocladia. I. Desmarestia. Lamour.—Name from a French naturalist. Frond filiform or flat; solid ; distichously branched. D aculeata, Lam. ; Rhode Island, Lynn, &c. D. veridis, Mull.; New York Bay and Sound. D. Sp. f or new; Long Island Sound. II. Arthrocladia. Duby.—Name, a jointed branch. Frond traversed by a jointed tube. Filiform, nodose, the nodes producing tufts of jointed filaments. Rare. A. villosa, Hudson ; Wilmington, N. C. Order III.—LAMJNARIACE,E. Inarticulate. Spores superficial, in patches, or covering the whole surface. Usually strong fibrous roots. Contains three genera, namely— I. Alaria. Greville.—Name, a wing. II. Laminaria. Lamour.—Name, a thin plate. III. Chorda. Stackhouse.—Name, a cord. I. Alaria, Grev. Leaf membranaceous, with a hard midrib. The stem pinnated wilh ribless leaflets, which form the lecepiacles. A. esculenta, Lamour; Massachusetts Bay. II. Laminaria. Lam. Foot stalk expanding into a broadish leaf. Leaf ribless. Spores embedded in the leaf. L. >accharina, Lamour.; Long Island Sound, &c. L. longicruris, Har ; Sioningion. L.fascia, Mull.; New York liay, &c. 3 18 L. trilaminata, ITar. ; Stoninglon. L. digitata, Lamour. ; Seaconnet. III. Chorda. Stack. Frond cylindrical. Spores conical, covering the whole surface. C.filum, Lamour. ; Long Island Sound, &c. C lomentaria, Grev. ; Seaconnet. Order IV.-DICTYOTACEiE. Inarticulate. Spores supeifidal and in lines. Roots' coated with woolly fibres. Containing nine American genera. I. Padina. Adanson. II. Zonaria.—Name, a girdle or zone. Ill Dictvoia. Lamour— Name, a net. IV. DiciyoHphon. Greville— Name, a net and a tube. V. Punciaria. Greville —Name, a dot. Vf. Asperococrus. Lam.—Name, rough seed. VII. Diciyospliaeria. VIII. Halodiclvon. IX. Lilosiphon. Harvey.—Name, a slender tube. I. Padina. Adanson. Frond ribless, fan shaped, with concentric lines, edged with articulaied filaments Spores bursting through the cuticle of the upper surface. 1. V.yuvonia, Lamour; Florida. II Zonaria. Frond flat, fan-shaped, ribless. Cleft, concentric lines. Scat- tered sori, bursting through ihe cutido of both sides. 1. Z. Up. ? or new ; Kef West. 111. Dictyota. Lamour. Frond ribless, linear, dichotomous. Roois coated with woolly fibres. Fructification, in scattered lines, bursting through the cuticle on both ndes. 1). dichotoma, Hudson ; Florida. J), ciliufu, Ag. ; Key West. I). Hniaris ; Key West 1). Sp. ? or new; New York Pay. D. Sp. ? or new ; Long Island Sound. IV. Dictvosiphon. Grev. Frond thread-like, tubular, branched. Spores naked, scattered over the surface. D.fosniculaceus, Hudson ; N. Y. Bay and L. 1. Sound. V. Punctaria. Grev. Frond leaf-like, no midrib. Spores scattered over the whole sur- face in minute duls. 19 P. tenvissima, Grev.; New York Bay. P. latifolia, Grev. ; Long Island Sound. P. platiginea, Roth ; Stonington. VI. Asperococcus. Lamour. Frond unbranched, tubular, rarely compressed. Fruit scattered over the whole surface. A. sir-uosus; Massachusetts. A clarutus; Florida. A. echinatus, Mertens : Florida. VII. DlCTYOSPII-AERlA. D. favulosa Decarsne ; Key West. 1 Sp. ? or new ; Florida. VIII. Halodictyon. 1 Sp. ? or new ; Key West. 9. Litosiphon. Harvey. L. Laminar ice, Lyngb. Order V.—CHORDARIACE^E. Frond cylindrical, branching. Spores enclosed within the sub- stance. Contains four genera, namely— I. Chordaria, Agardh —Same, a cord. II. Mesogloia, Ag — Name, vicid centre. III. Leathesia, Gray — Name, Rev. G R. Leathes. IV. Elachistea, Fries.—Name, The least. I. Chordaria. Ag. Axis cartilaginous and dense. Filaments branched. C. divaricata, Agardh ; New York Bay. C- Aagelliformis, Mull ; Long Island Sound. 3 Sp. ? or new ; N. Y. Bay and L. I. Sound. II. Mesogi.oia. Ag. Frond filaform, gelatinous, much branched. Spores attached to the ramuli. M. virescens, Carmichael; Key West. M. affinis, Berkely ; Key West. M zostericola; Florida. M. Gnffithsiuna, Greville ; L I. !*ound. M. vermiculosa, Ag. ; L. I. Sound. M.multifida; Greenport. III. Leathesia. Gray. Frond globose or shapeless. L. marina, Ag.; L. I. Sound. 20 IV. Ei.achistea. Fries. Frond parasitical, composed of tufts of free-jointed filaments, springing from a common base. E.^locicola, Velley ; L. I. Sound. E fl'jccida, Dillwin; L. J. Sound. E. cat la, Dillwin'; Greenport. Order VI.—ECTOCARPACEtE. Frond, ariiculated filaments. Spores external, and attached to ramuli, which is jointed. Contains three Amencan genera, namely— I. Sphacelaria, Lyngb.—Name, gangrene. H. Cladostephus, Ag—Nome, branching crown. III. Ectocarpus, Lyngb.—Name, external jtuit. I. Sphacelaria. Lyngb. Frond filamentous, rigid. Each articulation formed of numerous cells. S. cirrhosa, Rothwell ; Stonington. IT. Cladostephus. Ag. Frond inarticulate, rigid. Short jointed ramuli, which are whorled. C spongiosus, Hudson; Massachuselts Bay. C. verticillalus, Lyngb. ; Rhode Island. III. Ectocarpus. Frond filamentous, flacid. Each joint formed of a single cell. Spores external. E. hloralis, Lyngb ; common. E. veridis, Harvey ; N. Y. Bay. E. tomentosus, Hudson; L. I. Sound. E. fasiculutus, Har.; Rhode Island. E. siliculosus, Har.; N. Y. Bay. 5 Sp. ? or new. Miscellaneous Melonosperms. Agarum Cribosum ; Massachusetts Pay. Acetubularia. Sp. ? or new ; Key West. Caulerpa Wurdemannia ; Key West. ; C Coccinia, Harvey; Florida. 8 Sp. ? or new ; Key West. r Dasvcladis Claviformis ; Key West. Cladoucaepitosa Sp. ? or new ; Key West. Pencillns. Sp. ? or new ; Key West. Flabbelaria. 2 Sp ? or new ; Key West. 11 other Melanosperms not determined. 2i Series II. RHODOSPERME.E. Plants in this series are rosy or purplish red. Fructification of two kinds, formed on separate individuals; 1st, spores external or immersed concepiicles, or dispersed in masses through the sub- stance of the frond ; 2d, lelraspores not contained in proper concep- tacles, either exiernal or immersed in the frond. Marine, except two. This series contains seven orders, namely— 1. RuODOMELACEjE. 3. DELESSERIACEiE. 2. LAURRNCrACF^E. 4. RllODYMENIACEiE. 3. CoRALLINAUE^E. 6. CrYPTONEMIACE^I. 7. Ceramiace^e. Order I.—RHODOMELACE.E. Frond cellular, jointed or areolated. Spores external. Tetras- pores in rows, immeised in the ramuli or in proper receptacles. Contains five genera, namely— I. Khodomela, Ag.—Name, red and black. II. Boslrychia, Mont.—Name, cu> led hair. III. Kyliphlaea. Ag—Nump, wrinkled, bark. IV. Polysiphonia, Grev.—Name, many u'phons. V. Dasya, Ag.—Name, hairy. Genus I.—Rhodomela. Ag. Frond cylindrical, inarticulate, and opaque. Tetraspoies con- tained in a pod-like receptacle. R. subfusca, Woodward ; New York Bay. K. gracilis, Kirby; N. Y. Bay and L. I." Sound. R. Sp. ? or new ; Greenport. II.—Bostrychia. Mont. Frond pinnatifid, cylindrical, dotted, not jointed. Tetraspores in pod-like receptacles. B. Montagnei; Key Wrest. 1 Sp. ? or new; Key West. III. Rytiphl.ea. Ag. Frond cylindrical, jointed ; branches transversely striate. Te- traspores in pod-like receptacles. 2 Sp. ? or new. IV. Polysiphonia. Grev. Frond cylindrical, composed of many siphons, jointed; branches longitudinally striate. Tetraspores m swollen ramuli. P. nigrescens, Hudson, tubes 20 ; N. Y. Bay, &c. 22 P. variegata, Ag, tubes 6 ; N. Y. Bay, &c. P. Harveyi, Bailey ; Greenport, &c- P. Olneyi, Harvey; Greenport. P. parasitica, Hudson, tubes 8 ; Massachusetts Bay. P. subtillusima, Montagne, West Point. P.fastigiata, Roth well, lubes 16; Greenport. P. urceolata, Lin., tubes 4 ; Greenport. P. pulvinata, Ag., tubes 4 ; N. Y. Bay. Pformosa, Von Suhr, tubes 4 ; N. Y. Bay. P. gracilis, Greville, tubes 4 ; N. Y. Bay. P. violacea; Boston. P. Gibbesii, Harvey; Key West. P. breviarttculata, Ag.; Key West. P. stricta; New York Bay. P. Brodaii, Grev.; Massachusetts Bayv 9 Sp. ? or new. V. Dasya. Agardh. Frond cylindrical; stems inarticulate, but the ramuli jointed and single tubed. D. elegans, Greville; N. Y. Bay, &c. D coccinia, Hudson ; Massachusetts Bay. D. pendicellata ; Rhode Island. D. Wurdemannia, Bailey ; Key West. One Species ? or new ; Lynn. Order II.—LAURENCIACEiE. Cylindrical or compressed, linear, areolated, inarticulated, branch- ing fronds. Conceptacles external. Tetraspores immersed in the branches or ramuli. Contains three American genera, namelyr-r- I. Laurencia. Lamour.—Name, in honor of M. Laurencia. II. Chrysymenia. J. Ag.—Name, a golden membrane. III. Chylocladia. Grev.—Name, a juicy branch. Genus I.—Laurencia. L, Frond solid, cylindrical, branched, pinnalified, ramuli obtuse. Spores in pear-shaped tufts. Tetraspores imbedded in ramuli. L. pinnatifida, Gwillm ; Stonington. L. dasyphylla, Woodward ; Greenport- L. tennuissima, Goodwin ; New Haven. L. Baileyi, Montagne ; N. Y. Bay. L. purpuruscens ; Greenport. L. obtusa, Lamour; Key West. 3 Sp. ? or new. II. Chrysymenia. J. Ag, Frond hollow, filled wiih mucus, neither constricted, jointed, nor chambered. Spores angular. Tetiaspores immersed in ramuli. 23 C. divariedta, Hatvey; N. Y. Bay, &c. C. uvifera; Key West. III. Chylocladia. Greville. Frond hollow, constricted, chambered, filled with watery juice. Spores spherical or conical. Tetraspores in small ramuli, and tri- partite. C. parvula, Agardh ; N. Y Bay, &c. C Mediterranean ; Key Wesi. 2 Sp. ? or new. Order III.—CORALLINACEiE. Frond purplish when recent, rigid, jointed, mostly calcareous, carbonate of lime being deposited in the cells. Tetraspores tutted, contained in spherical concepiacles. Contains seven native genera. I Corallina. Linn. IV. Amphiron. II. Jania. Lamour- V. Liagora. III. Halimeta. VI. Helimedu. VII. Digenia. Genus I.—Corallina. Linn. C. officinalis, Linn.; Greenport. &c. C. St. Anthony's beads; Key West. II. Jania. J. 1 Sp. 1 or new ; Florida. III. Halimeta. H. I Sp. ? or new ; Florida, ' IV. Amphiron. A. 1 Sp. ? or new ; Key West. V. Liagora. L. 2 Sp. ? or new ; Key West. VI. Helimedia. H. opuntia; Key West. VII. Digenia. D. samplex ; Key West. Order IV.—DELESSERIACEiE. Frond usually leafy, rarely filiform, areolated, inarliculated Con- rtniacles external or half immersed. Tetraspores scattered over '"ST & « in proper fruit leaflets. Contains three genera, namely— 24 I. Delesseria, Lamour.—Name, M. Delessert. II. Nitophyllum, Greville —Name, shining leaf. III. Plocamium, Lamour.—Name, intertwined hair. Genus I.—Delesseria. Lam. Frond leafy, definite in form with a percurrent midrib. Con- cepiacles scattered over the frond. D. sanguinea, Linn. Massachusetts Bay*. D. sinuosa, Goodwin and Woodward ; Boston. D. Americana, Greville ; N. Y. Bay, &c D Hypoglossum, Woodward ; Boston. 1). L"pneurii, Montagne ; West Point. D. ca/oglossum, Harvey ; Newburyport. D. alata, Hudson; Lynn. D. involvens ; Key West. 1 Sp. ? or new ; Key West. II. NlTOFHYLLUM. Frond membranaceous, veinless, rosy red. on the frond. Tetiaspores in scattered spols. N. 1 Sp. ? or new; Wilmington, N. C. III. Plocamium. Lam. Frond linear, compressed or flat, indistinctly nerved, much branched. Tubercles stalked, or sessile on the margin. P. coccineum, Hudson; Lynn, Massachusetts. Order V.—RHODYMENIACEiE. Frond leafy or filiform, inarticulate. Polygonal cells. Concep- tacles external, or partially imbedded in the surface. Tetraspores collected in undefined cloudy spots. Contains four genera, namely— I. Rhodymenia, Greville—Name, a red membrane. II. Sphasrococcus, Stackhouse.—Name, spherical seed. III. Gracilaria. IV. Hypnea. Genus I.—RHODYMENIA. Grev. R. palmafa, Greville ; Seaconnet Bay, &c. R. palmetia, Esper.; Newburyport. R. cristata, Lamour.: Massachusetts Bay. R. ciliata, Lamour; Mass Bay. R. membranifolius, Giev.; Rhode Island. II. SpiijErococcus. Stockhouse. Frond two-edged, linear, much branched and cartillaginous. Fruit, spherical tubercles with thick pericarp. Conceptacles sessile 25 S. multiparlita, Ag.; New York Bay. S. augustissima, Ag.; New York Bay. S. Torreyii, Ag.; New York Bay. III. Gracilaria. Grev. Frond slender, filiform, irregularly branched, central cells very large ; cartilaginous Tubercle, fruit with thick pericarp. Tetras- pores imbedded in the surface cells. G. multiparlita, Clem.; New York Bay. G. dura, Ag.; Key West. G. Helmintochorton, J. Ag. ; Ke^ West. 3 Sp. ? or new. IV. Hypnea. Lamour. Frond filiform, irregularly branched, cartilaginous. Tubercles spherical, sessile, or embedded in the ramuli. Tetraspores em- bedded in the surface. H. purpurascens, Hudson ; New York Bay. H. purpurea ; Mass. Bay- H. Wurdemannia, Key West. H. musciformis, Lamour; Key West. H. robusta ; Key West. 3 Sp.? or new. Order VI.-CRYPTONEMIACE.E. Frond filiform, rarely "expanded, gelatinous. Axis formed of horizontal radiating filaments. Conceptacles globose. Spores in swellings of the branches. Contains 13 genera. I. Gelidium. Lamour.—Name, gelatine. II. Gigartina. Lamour.—Name, grapestone. III. Gyrnnogondrus. Lamour.—Name, naked wort. IV. Chondrus. Lamour.—Name, cartilage. V. Phyllophora. Greville.—Name, to bear a leaf. VI. Polyides. Ag.—Name, many forms. VII. Furcellaria. Lamour.—Name, a little fork. VIII. Dumontia. Lamour.—Name, M. Dumont. IX. Halymenia. Agandh. X. Ginannia. Mont— Name, Count Ginanm. XI. Catenella. Gvex.—Name, a little chain. XII. Crouania, J. Ag.—Name, Brothers Crouan. XIII. Rhabdonia. Harvey. Genus I.—Geledium. Lamour. Frond solid, corneous, pinnated, and linear. Fruit in swollen ™ atrnetm. Variety crinale. Hudson; New York Bay, &c. G. Sp, 1 or new. 26 II. Gigartina, Lamour. Cartilaginous, cylindrical filaments in gelatine. Fruit in external tubercles. Tetraspores massed in dense sori sunk in the frond. G. mamillosus, Goodwin and Woodward; N. Y. Bay. G. purpurascens, Lamour; Stonington. G. 2 Sp. ? or new. III. Gymnogondrus. Lamour. Filiform, dichotomous, horny, dense structure. Favellae in spongy warts. G. plicata, Lamour; N. Y. Bay and Sound. IV. Chondrus. Lamour. Cartilaginous flabelliform, cleft, dense. Tetraspores in sori, im- mersed. C. mammillosus, Greville ; L. I. Sound. C. Crispus, Lamour; L. I. Sound. C. Brodazii, Greville ; Rhode Island. C. Norvigicus, Lamour,; Mass. Bay. V, Phyllophora. Grev. Stalked, rigid, dense, bearing a nerveless leaf. Tubercles scat- tered over the leaf. Warts seated on the frond, composed of radiating filaments, which become spores, Tetraspores in sori on the leafllets. P. Brodiea, Greville ; N. Y. Bay. P. rubens, Lam.; Mass. Bay. P. Sp.? or new. Apalachicola. VI. Polyldes. ■ Frond cylindrical, cartilaginous, solid. Fruit, spongy warts. Tetraspores cruciate, immersed in the filaments of the frond. P. rotundus, Grev.; Rhode Island. VII. Furcellaria. Lamour. Frond cylindrical, cartilaginous, solid, and forked. deeply imbedded in swollen apices of the frond. F'.fastigiata, Hudson; Newburyport. VIII. Dumontia. Lamour. Frond tubular, filled with thin gelatine. Spores in the inner sur- face of the frond. Tetraspores among the surface cells. D. ramentacea, Lamour; Stonington. IX. Halymenia. Ag. H.fiorensia; Florida. H. ligulata; Florida. K. furcellata, Agardh ; Newport. Tetraspores 27 X. Ginannia. Mont. Membranaceous, gelatinous, fibrous axis. Cells hexagonal. Fruit spherical, immersed in the frond. G.furcellata, Turner; Florida. XI. Catenella. Greville. Frond membranaceous, filiform, constricted. Fruit, spherical spores, in external capsules. Tetraspores immersed in the outward cells. C. Sp. ? or new ; Florida. XII. Crouania. J. Ag. Frond gelatinous, jointed, single tubed filaments. Fruit, spores at the base of the whorled ramuli. Tetraspore very large, also at the base of the ramuli. C. attenuata, J. Agardh ; Key West. XIII. Rhabdonia. Harvey. R. Baileyi, Harvey. Order VII.—CERAMIACE.E. Filiform frond, of jointed branching filaments of single strings of cells. Fruit, berry-like receptacles, angular spores. Tetraspores on the ramuli or immersed in the branches. Contains seven genera, namely— I. Ptilota, Ag.—Name, winged. II. Ceramium, Rothwell— Name, a pitcher. III. Spyredia, Harvey.—Name, a basket. IV. Griffithsia, kg.—Name, Mrs. Griffiths. V. Wrangelia, kg.—Name, Baron Von Wrangel. VI. Seirospora, Harvey.—Name, a chain of seeds. VII. Callithamnion, Lyngb.—Name, a beautiful little shrub. Genus I.—Ptilota. Ag. Main frond inarticulated. Ramuli jointed, pinnated. Spores surrounded by short ramuli. Tetraspores attached to or immersed in the ramuli. P. plumosa, Lamour ; Mass. Bay. P. sericea, Gmelin; Providence. II. Ceramium. Roth. Frond filiform, articulated, and usually coated by colored cellules. Fructification sessile, roundish favells, with minute angular spores. Tetraspores immersed in the ramuli. C. rubrum, Hudson ; common. C. diaphanum, Ag.; common. C.fastigiatum, Harvey; N. Y. Bay. C. nodosum, Kiitzig ; L. I. Sounds 28 C. clavulatum, Ag.; Key West. 11 Sp. ? or new. III. Spyredia. Harvey. Frond filiform, cylindrical, and much branched. Ramuli bristly, simple, jointed. Fruit stalked, surrounded by short ramuli. 1 etras- pores with colorless border, and attached to the ramuli. S.filamentosa, Wulf; L. I. Sound, &c. S. 4 Sp. ? or new. IV. Griffithsia. Ag. Frond filiform, articulated, dichotomous, rosy red; ramuli single tubes, whorled. Fruit round and gelatinous, mvolucrated recep- tacles. Tetraspores fixed to whorled ramuli. G. corallina, Linn.; Greenport, &c. &c. G. Devoniensis; Greenport. V. Wrangelia. Ag. Frond articulated, pinnate, filiform, filaments single tubed. Fruit gelatinous, terminating the brancties, pear-shaped, involucred. Tetrasposes fixed to the ramuli. W. Sp. ? or new ; Florida. VI. Seirospora. Harvey. Frond filamentous, articulated, one-tubed. Tetraspores in ter- minal, bead-like strings. S. Griffithsiana, Harvey ; New Haven. VII. Callithamnion. Lyngb. Frond filiform. Stem opaque, sometimes jointed. Branches jointed, one-tubed, and pinnate. Fruit, berry-like receptacles on the main branches. Tetraspores scattered along the ultimate branches, or borne on little foot stalks. C. Baileyii, Harvey ; N. Y. Bay. C.plumula, Ellis ; New London. 0. unilaterali, Harvey ; N. Y. Bay. C. cruciatum, kg.; Greenport. C. Americanum, Harvey; New London. C. Turnerii, Dillwin ; New Haven. C. brachiatum; Saybrook. C. Rothii, Lyngb.; Rhode Island. C. arachnocedeum, Ag. ;'Rhode Island. 7 Sp. ? or new. Miscellaneous Rhodosperms. Amansia Multifida; Key West. Helmintochorton. Sp. ? or new ; Key West. Acouthophora. Sp. ? or new ; Key West, 29 Alsidium Triquetrum; Florida. Alsidium Triangulare, J. Ag.; Florida. Trentefolia Pulchella ; West Point (fresh water.) 6 Sp. ? or new. Series III. CHLOROSPERME^E. Grass green Sea-weeds, rarely purple. Simple in formation. Fructification dispersed through all parts of the frond; the whole coloring matter convertable into propagula. Sporidia, within the cells, often at maturity vivacious, moving by vibratile cilia; conio- cystce, ultimately separating from the frond. Marine or fresh water. This series consists of six marine orders, namely— 1. SlPHONACE^E. 4. OSCILLATORIACE^I. 2. CoNFERVACEiE. 5. NoSTOCHACE^E. 3. Ulvaceje. 6. Palmellace^e. Order I.—SIPHONACEiE. Cells filiform, of great length, simple or branched. Contains three genera, namely— I. Codium, Stockhouse.—Name, skin of animal. Filaments closely combined into a spongy-like frond. II. Bryopsis, Lamour.—Name, moss-like. Filaments free, pinnately branched. III. Vaucheria, De Cand. Filaments free, irregularly branched. Genus I.—Codium. Stack. C tomentosum, Hudson; Florida. C. 1 Sp. ? or new; Apalachicola. II. Bryopsis. Lam. B. plumosa, Hudson; N. Y. Bay. B. hypnoides, Lamour ; N. Y. Bay. B. 1 Sp. ? or new ; Key West. III. Vaucheria. V. velutina, Hudson ; West Point. V. ccespitosa ; West Point. V. racemosa; Georgia. Order II.-CONFERVACE.E. Confervaceae are either of marine or fresh water, and comprise an extensive range, composed of-jointed filaments either simple or 30 branched, free or surrounded by gelatine.- Contains three large genera, namely— ° I. Conferva, Pliny. II. Cladophora, Kiitzig. III. Chaetophora. Genus I.—Conferva. Plin. C rupicola, Bailey. C. crenulata, Web.; Beverley. C. alpina, Bory St. Vincent; Newburgh, &c. C. ericetorum, Roth.; North Carolina. C.fioccosa, kg.; N. C. C. bombycina, kg.; Rhode Island. C rwularis, Linn.; common. C area, Dillwin ; Seaconnet. C.fracta; Newport. C glomerata, Linn; lakes. C serpentilum, kg.; North Carolina. 10 Sp. ? or new. • II. Cladophora. Kiitz. C. latevirens, Dillwin ; Battery, N Y C. arcta, Dillwin ; New York Bay,' &c C. refracta, kg.; New York Bay. C. glaucescens Griffiths ; Long Island Sound. C. gracilis, Griffiths ; New York Bay C. rupestris, Linn.; Mass. Bay. G.prolifera; Key West. C. unilateralis, Hooper; Maryland. C uncialis. 12 Sp. ? or new. III. Chaetophora. C. endivefolia, kg.; Poughkeeps >sie Order III.—ULVACEtE J^^l^^"**"' Green or purple. Co, n. mT7It' Link-^> « TV S°rPh^' Ag--Name, purple. IV. Bangia, Lyngb. Genus I.—Enteromorpha. Link L. mtestinahs, Lamour; common E. compressa, Lam.; common. E. erecta, Lyngb.; New York Bay. h.clathrata, Roth.; New York Bay 2 Sp. ? or new. J 31 II. Ulva. Linn. U. latissima, Linn.; every where. U. linza, Linn.; New York Bay, '&c. U. bullosa, Roth.; Newburgh. 6 Sp. ? or new. III. Porphyra. Ag. P. vulgaris, kg.; New York Bay, &c. P. laciniata, Ag.; New York Bay, &c. IV. Bangia. Lyngb. B.fusco-purpurea, Dillwin; Providence. Order IV.—OSCILLATORIACEiE. Marine or fresh water. Green, blue, or purple. Continuous, tubular, but rarely branching Algae. Free, or enclosed in gelatine. Contains six genera, namely— I. Rivularia. Roth. II. Scytonema. Harvey. III. Calothrix. Agardh. IV. Lyngbya. Ag. V. Microcoleus. Harvey. VI. Oscillatoria. Vaucher. Genus I.—Rivularia. Roth. R. calcarea, Sm.; Niagara Falls. R. atra, Roth.; North River. R. angulosa, Roth.; North River. II. Schytonema. Harvey. S. oscillatum, Harvey ; Niagara Falls. III. Calothrix. C. confervicola, kg.; New York Bay. C scopulorum, Webb and Mohr ; Newport. 1 Sp. ? or new ; Greenport. IV. Lyngbya. Ag. L-. ferruginea, kg.; New York Bay. L crispa ; Hoboken. h.fulva, Harvey; Stonington. 1 Sp. ? or new. V. Microcoleus. Desmarest. M. repens; Harvey ; damp ground. VI. Oscillatoria, Vaucher. 0. Friesii ; Massachusetts. (Fresh.) 0. tenuissima, kg.; West Point. 32 0. tenuis, Ag.; West Point. O. decorticans, Grev.; on cisterns. 0. museorum, Ag.; West Point. 0. nigra, Vaucher ; West Point. O. corum, kg.; West Point. 3 Sp. ? or new. Order V.—NOSTOCHACEiE. Mostly fresh water Algas. Bead-like filaments surrounded in gelatine. Contains two genera. Genus I.—Nostoc N.foliaceum, Ag.; damp earth. N. sphcericum, Vaucher; running streams—Greenwood. N. cristanum, Bailey; West Point. II. Sph^rozyga. S.flos-aquce, Bory St. Vincent; West Point. Order VI.—PALMELLACEiE. Tubular, confervoid filaments containing the cells. Genus I.—PALMELLA. P. hyalina, Lyngb.; common. Miscellaneous ChlorospermS. Acetubularia Crenulata, Lam.; Florida. Anadyomene flabbelata, Ag.; Key West. A. Stellata; Key West. Bulbochaete Setegera, Ag.; West Point. Batrachospermeae Americanum, Schweinitz. B. Moniliforme, Ag.; West Point, Astoria, &c. ' 3 Sp. ? or new. Botridium Granulatum; ponds. Colevchaete Scutata, Brebisson ; West Point. Drapernaldia Plumosa, Ag. ; West Point. D. Glomerata, Ag.; West Point. D. Tenuis, Ag.; West Point. Echinella. Sp. ? or new. Common. Fragellaria Pectinalis, Lyng. Hydrodictyon Utriculatum, Rothwell; Philadelphia. Haemmatococcus Grevillei, Ag.; West Point. Lemania Americana, Harvey. L. Fluviatilis, Ag.; West Point. L. Tortulosa, Ag.; West Point. Merismopedia Punctata, Meyen ; West Point. Mougestia Genuflexa, Ag.; Newport. (Marine.) Pelion. Sp. ? or new. 33 Protococcus nivalis, Ag.; West Point gtigonema mammilosum, Ag.; ponds Sphaeioplea crispa, Berkley ; West Point 1 etraspora perforata, Bailey ; West Point. 1. gelatinosa Desvime ; common. T. lucunesa, Duby. Thorea veridis, Bory St. Vincent; fresh water. 1 olypothnx distorta, Kiitzing ; ponds. Tyndandea cruciata, Harvey ; New York. T. pectinata, Harvey ; common. Zygnema quininum, Ag.; common. Z. nitidum, Ag.; Maine. 9 Sp. ? or new. DIATOMACE.E. Achnanthes longipe. Exilaria. Sp. ? Greville. Synedra. Sp. ? Hymantidium arcus, Ehenbergh. Tabellaria floccosum, Ehenbergh. Meredion circulare, Agardh, Ossa. Sp. ? or new. New York Bay. Schyzonema quadrapunctata ; New York Bay. 4 Sp. ? or new. This imperfect Catalogue of American Algae plainly shows the wide and almost unexplored field open to the investigation of the Naturalist, or even the lover of the curious and the beautiful ; for it is herein shown how rapid the progress in the discovery of species has been ; and, by the locations given, it will be understood how wide a field remains unexplored; for in 1835, Professor Hitchcock, in his report to the Governor of Massachusetts of the catalogue of plants found in that State, enumerates but eleven ; and Dr. Torrey sent about as many from New York to the elder Agardh, which were all that were known in the States until Professor Bailey, in 1848, published his enlarged Catalogue, in which he enumerates 172 species, namely— Melanosperms , . . • .31 Rhodosperms .... .59 Chlorosperms.....82 Total . .... 172 34 In the present Catalogue, I am enabled, from my own collection, and by the favor of a few friends, to give a catalogue of 428 American species, namely— Melanosperms . Rhodosperms . Chlorosperms . 93 181 154 Total 428 Professor Bailey's Catalogue - .172 256 Being an increase of 256 species ; and as the subject commands more attention, and the intelligence, industry, and energies of our Naturalists are awakened, many are the additions which must be discovered in our vast sea-boards. And when Dr. Harvey shall have lain a solid foundation in his Neries Borealis Americanum; and when Professor Bailey shall devote himself to produce an American Classification, aided, as he will be, by a number of tire- less coadjutors,—then will the United States stand fairly represented to the scientific world in her Marine Botany.