reviving by the application of moisture after being dry; bearing leaves which are very rarely indeed divided, often nerved, entire or toothed and serrated at the margin.— SECT. I. Seta or Fruitstalk terminal. ACROCARPI. Subsect. I. Lid adhering to the mouth of the capsule, which Subsect. II. Lid deciduous; mouth of the capsule naked. vol. ii. p. 2.* Subsect. III. Lid deciduous; mouth of the capsule furnished Div. I. Peristome simple. APLOPERISTOMI.— Div. II. Peristome double. DIPLOPERISTOMI.- SECT. II. Seta or Fruit-stalk lateral. PLEUROCARPI. Subsect. I. Mouth of the Capsule naked. GYMNOSTO- Subsect. II. Mouth of the Capsule furnished with a Peri- stome. Div. I. Peristome single. APLOPERISTOMI.— Div. II. Peristome double. DIPLOPERISTOMI. ORD. CII. HEPATICE. Fructification mostly of 2 kinds; consisting of very minute, rounded, reticulated bodies, often called anthers; and capsules, in an early stage covered with a calyptra and surrounded by a perianth, at length bursting the calyptra irregularly and (usually) opening from the extremity into 2 or more equal valves, without an operculum, 1-celled, containing numerous seeds and spirally twisted filaments.—Minute plants, frondose or foliose; mostly loosely cellular, reviving, when dried, by the application of moisture. In this Order we have the extensive genus JUNGERMANNIA and the highly curious one, MARCHANTIA, &c., vol. ii. p. 98. ORD. CIII. LICHENES. Thallus (or frond) polymorphous, without root, perennial, abounding in excessively minute bodies for the purpose of propagation, either imbedded in the substance or scattered upon its surface, or included in peculiar organs which are considered the fruit or apothecia. The Lichens have an affinity on the one hand with the Alge, and on the other with the Fungi. Sometimes they are formed of a simple pulverulent crust or frond; sometimes they are membranous, coriaceous, gelatinous, lobed and variously branched, at all times destitute of leaves. They present various colours, not unfrequently tending to green. In this extensive Order there are many useful and curious plants. The species of the Genus GYROPHORA constitute the Tripe de Roche of the Canadian Hunters. The Genus OPEGRAPHA not inaptly resembles written characters in its fructification. LECANORA yields the Perelle (L. Perellus) of the French, and the Cudbear (L. Tartarea); ROCCELLA, the Archil (R. tinctoria), so important to the Dyer. PARMELIA omphalodes and P. saxatilis are used for the same purpose by the peasantry of Scotland. In CLADONIA We have the Rein-deer moss, as it is erroneously called (C. rangiferina), and in CETRARIA, the Iceland moss (C. Islandica). -For the divisional characters of this extensive family, see vol. ii. p. 131. ORD. CIV. CHARACEE. Fructification of 2 kinds.-1. Capsules (?) axillary, solitary, sessile, oval, spirally twisted, invested with a pellucid membrane and crowned with 5 lobes, containing very minute seeds. 2. Globules of a reddish or orange colour, surrounded by a pellucid covering, at length opening into 3 or 4 valves (8, Wilson) and containing a mass of very minute filaments.-Aquatic Plants, with pellucid filiform stems, which are sometimes coated with a calcareons crust, and whorled branches. When destitute of this crust and examined with a good power of the microscope, a movement of 2 spiral liquid currents is distinctly observable, the one ascending, the other descending, yet circulating in the same tube without any partition which can separate them. The fruit of this genus is often fossilized in chalk, and known under the name of Gyrogonites. This Order contains the Genus CHARA, which Sir J. E. Smith places in the Class MONANDRIA of the artificial arrangement. See vol. ii. p. 242. ORD. CV. ALGE. Vegetables, for the most part aquatic, destitute of roots, or furnished only with a fibrous or scutate base for the purpose of attachment, not of nourishment, whose fronds are either gelatinous, filamentose or coriaceous, having, for fructification, seeds or sporules, either imbedded in tubercles or processes arising from the frond, or immersed or more or less scattered on the surface.-Many of them float in the water. They are subpellucid, often beautifully cellular, their colour frequently green, brownish, bright-red or pink. After having been kept dry for a considerable length of time, they will revive on immersion in water: but that portion of the plant only imbibes the fluid which is covered by it.— DIV. I. INARTICULATE. Foliaceous, spreading or filiform, inarticulate (or rarely and only apparently jointed), vol. ii. p. 250).-SARGASSUM, a genus found floating upon some seas in such abundance as to impede the progress of vessels. Fucus. F. nodosus, F. vesiculosus, F. serratus, and F. loreus, are of great importance in the manufacture of Kelp. ALARIA esculenta, and LAMINARIA saccharina are frequently eaten upon our northern shores and in other countries. DELESSERIA, NITOPHYLLUM and others of the 1st Tribe FLORIDEE, are remarkable for their delicate texture and bright red or rose colours. RHODOMENIA palmata is the true Dulse; IRIDEA edulis is the Pepper Dulse. Many, if not all of the FUCOIDEÆ contain Iodine in a state of hydriodate of Potash or Soda, and there is a large establishment in Glasgow where it is prepared. ULVA latissima and U. Lactuca are eaten under the name of Laver. Div. II. CONFERVOIDEE. Filamentous, really or apparently articulated, destitute of definite gelatine. To this division belong the extensive genus CONFERVA, the singular OSCILLATORIÆ, inhabitants of fresh-water; and the beautiful genera POLYSIPHONIA, CERAMIUM, GRIFFITHSIA, &c., peculiar to the sea.vol. ii. p. 259. DIV. III. GLOIOCLADEÆ. Plants consisting of numerous globules or filaments, invested with a definite gelatine and forming globose or filiform fronds. The Red-snow of arctic navigators is Protococcus nivalis.- MESOGLOIA, ECHINELLA, NOSTOC, &c. vol. ii. p. 261. DIV. IV. DIATOMACEE. A curious but minute tribe, perhaps of animal rather than vegetable structure:-composed of compressed angular granules (frustula) arranged in parallel series or circles, eventually separating from each other.-FRAGILARIA. DIATOMA. CYMBELLA, &c. vol. ii. p. 262. ORD. CVI. FUNGI. The lowest in the scale of vegetables, yet very variable in appearance; growing upon the ground, or parasitic on other vegetable substances; rarely, if ever, aquatic, and scarcely ever green filamentous, gelatinous, corky, coriaceous, fleshy or membranaceous. In the larger sense of the word, the whole plant may be considered as fructification; since, distinct from it, there is no true stem; there are no branches; no leaves. After being once dried, they do not revive by the application of moisture like the greater number of plants in this Class; and generally speaking, they are of a very short duration, soon decaying, and frequently becoming putrid in decay. Some are Fleshy Fungi, bearing seeds or sporules, externally.AGARICUS.-A. muscarius; pileus orange-red or brown, at length nearly plane, the warts, gills and stipes white, stipes annulate. Frequent in woods, where it is conspicuous by its bright colour. Said to be poisonous.-A. campestris, the true Mushroom; distinguishable, by the purplish-brown colour of its gills, from many other species that are esteemed at our tables, and from many that are known to be poisonous.-MERULIUS cantharellus is abundantly eaten upon the continent, as well as in England: M. lachrymans produces the dry-rot in timber. BOLETUS fomentarius forms Amadou, or German tinder. MORCHELLA esculenta is the Morell. Several species of RHIZOMORPHA insinuate themselves between the bark and wood of trees, and hasten the decay of the timber.-Some have the seeds or sporules internal. SPHÆRIA, &c.-UREDO. Of this genus there are two destructive species: 1. U. Segetum; a black dust, residing within the fruit or glumes of grasses, especially of Wheat, Barley, and Oats; thus destroying the kernel and doing vast injury to our crops, converting the part affected into a black powder, and known by the name of brand, dust-brand, smut, burnt-corn. This kind has no particular scent.-2. U. Caries, DC.; a brownish-black dust, consisting of larger grains than the last, and filling the kernel itself of wheat, &c. with a fetid greasy powder. Far more injurious than the last, and not externally conspicuous, but causing the seed to swell, and thus to look diseased. In thrashing, the breaking of these grains affects the whole mass. This is known to farmers, as balls, bladder- or pepper-brand, stinking-brand.—PUCCINIA: P. graminis, Pers.; forming long blackish-brown parallel lines on the stem and leaves of the Grass-tribe. It constitutes the blight, mildew, and rust in corn. Æcidium Berberidis is the Barberry Blight. The Ergot of Rye, Spermoidia Clavus, is considered by some a Fungus. In the same group of Fungi are found the Mucors or mould of cheese, &c. the Tubers or Truffles, Puff-balls, and the curious genera GEASTRUM and PHALLUS.-See Vol. 2. P. II., where all the British Fungi are described. |