The Algae of Jamaica

Abstract

The earliest reference to the algae of Jamaica, and very nearly the earliest reference to the algae of America, appears to be by Sloane ; * in the chapter on submarine plants 43 species are named and described, among which, however, are a few aquatic phanerogams, and a considerable number of corals ; of the remainder most are too vaguely described to be now identified, but by the help of the plates, we can give with fair cer tainty the modern names for four. Vol. I. p. 57, PL XX. Fig. 2, Corallina opuntioides, ramulis den sioribus, et filis magis sinuatis atque corrugatis, is Halimeda Opuntia. P. 58, PL XX. Fig. 3, Corallina major, nervo crassiore fuciformi, inter nodia breviora nectente, White Bead Bandstring dicta, is Cymopolia bar bata. P. 61, PL XX. Fig. 9, Fucus minimus denticulatus triangularis, is Bryothamnion triangulare. P. 58, PL XX. Fig. 6, Fucus marinus vesi culas habens membranis extantibus alatas, is Turbinaria trialata. P. 58, PL XX., Corallina minima capillacea, is probably our present Corallina capillacea, but neither plate nor description is characteristic enough to make this certain. P. 51, PL XVIIL, Corallium album pumi lum nostras, seems to be some species of Lithothamnion. The other de scriptions are too uncertain to hazard any identifications. A few algae are mentioned by Browne,f apparently mostly copied from Sloane ; some plants undoubtedly belonging to the genus Sargassum are mentioned, and from the description of the great floating masses, S. bacciferum is undoubtedly meant, but it is probable that other species are included under this name.