Reviews

The enumeration of about 760 species and 140 varieties and forms of marine algae growing along the eastern coasts of the tropical and subtropical parts of America, and belonging to the Phacophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Xanthophyceae, Cryptophyceae, Chrysophyceae, and Rhodophyceae, is preceded by an historical review of collecting and knowledge of those algae. One new family, Wurdemanniaceae, eight new species of the genera Caulerpa, Dictyota, Dictyopteris, Padina (by Thivy), Cryptonemia and Ceramium, and four new varieties belonging to the genera Dictyota, Galaxaura, Rhodymenia, and Herposiphonia, have been described. Several formae are only marked as such, but not given a name. A number of new combinations are found all through the systematical part of the book. Though this book contains a great quantity of information about the marine algae from the coasts of Bermuda and North Carolina up to that of southern Brazil, the author does not claim monographic completeness. Doubtful records remain for further investigation. A short chapter on geographical distribution is included, as well as an extensive one on the habitats of the algae, illustrated by 14 photographs from Bermuda and Jamaica. The last mentioned chapter contains an elaborate description of the algal vegetation in all its variations in the territory dealt with. Moreover, it gives many practical indications for effective ecological studies. At the end an explanation of the “Sargasso Sea” is found.