Art. XI. Descriptions of species of Sponges observed on the shores of Long-Island.
Art. XI. Descriptions of species of Sponges observed on the shores of Long-Island. By C. S. Rafinesque, Esq.
The sponges are one of the most singular productions of nature; and, even to this time, naturalists are divided in opinion respecting their real rank in the scale of organized beings. Some believe that they are animals, belonging to the class of polyps, next to the genus of alcyonium, while many contend that they are not animals, but plants, of the tribe of fuci, or marine vegetables. I am inclined to adopt this latter opinion, since in all those which I have seen, in Europe and America, no perceptible motion nor sensibility was to be discerned in any stage of their existence; and those who have acknowledged their animality, bring no stronger proof thereof than an occasional slight shrinking under the hand, and an animal smell, which are common to some marine plants.
Whatever be the truth on the subject, these doubtful opinions prove that they are of the many connecting links between animals and plants. This is not a proper place to decide this controversy; I mean merely to make known new species of this tribe of beings, which I observed last year, on the shores of Long-Island. Such a fragment will be, perhaps, the first attempt of the kind; when more species shall be known, the subject may be investigated with more certainty and accuracy.
1. Spongia albescens, Raf. (Whitish sponge.) Effuse, compressed, irregular, perforated, somewhat branched, unequally lobed, whitish, smooth; lobes truncated; cells porose, very minute, nearly equal; small unequal cells inside.
Found near Bath and Gravesend, in sandy bottoms. A large species, sometimes over a foot broad, of quite an irregular shape, rather flattened, about one inch thick; partly gibbose; concave now and then, and with large, irregular openings, as if large branches were anastomosed; circumference branched or lobed, very jagged, sinus obtuse, lobes elongated obtuse, truncate or flat, unequally divided. The substance is entirely of a cinereous white, outside and inside, of a soft and brittle nature, rather friable; covered outside with minute pores of an oblong or round shape, and full of small unequal cells inside.
2. Spongia ostracina, Raf. (Oyster sponge.) Very branched, erect, red, papillose; branches unequal, often dichotome, obtuse; cells porose, oblong, nearly equal.
It is often found on the common oyster. (Ostrea virginica.) It rises from four to six inches, the colour is a fine red, it branches from the base; the branches are unequal, straight, cylindrical, or compressed. Substance stupose. Surface covered with small papilla and small oblong unequal pores.
3. Spongia cespitosa, Raf. (Bushy sponge.) Branched, cespitose, yellowish, rough, papillose; branches fasciculated, upright, unequal, flexuose, compressed, slightly anastomosed, nearly dichotome upwards; cells porose, oblong, nearly equal, margin lacerated.
Found also on the oyster, but more seldom than the foregoing; the specimens which I saw was found on the Bluepoint oysters, by Dr. Eddy. It becomes brown by drying. It rises from four to six inches, the margin of the cells or pores is torn into papillar, stiff processes, which produce a rough surface. Substance stripose. Internal cells oblong, very small.
4. Spongia cladonia. (Cladonian sponge.) Branched effuse, smooth, pale fulvous, stem procumbent, branches distichal, one-sided, erect, simple or divided, obtuse; cells porose, minute; some larger round.
I have found this species at Bath and at Sandy-Hook, on Sandy bottoms. Length about six inches. Stem and branches cylindrical or compressed. Substance fibrose, anastomed, branches divaricate, ascendent, semi dichotomose or simple, unequal, thicker towards the top.
5. Spongia virgata. (Slender sponge.) Nearly branched, smooth, fulvous, stem divided, slender, cylindrical, knobby, branches erect, slender, nearly heads acute; pores unequal, irregular, small.
A small species, three inches high, found at Oysterbay, on rocky bottoms, rare; stem with few branches, and imperfect ones, like knobs. Substance stupose. Branches round, alternate, small. Pores without any determinate shape.
Art. XII. Memoir on the Xanthium maculatum, a New Species from the State of New-York, &c.
Art. XII. Memoir on the Xanthium maculatum, a New Species from the State of New-York, &c. by C. S. Rafinesque, Esq.
Pursh and Michaux mention only one species of American Xanthium, the X. strumarium, while there are three noticed in the catalogue of Dr. Muhlenberg, the above species, and the X. orientale, and X. spinosum. The first and the last are natives of Europe, and have been naturalized in the United States, with many other plants. The species called X. orientale by Dr. Muhlenberg, appears however to be a native; but the X. orientale of Linnæus, is a native of Siberia, Japan, and the East-Indies; and when plants are found to grow in such opposite quarters of the globe, a strong presumption arises that they are not identical species, which presumption has been confirmed by experience in many instances, whenever the plants of both countries have been accurately examined. Decandolle, in the French Flora, (2d edit, of 1815.) vol. 6. p. 356, describes, under the name of X. macrocarpon, a species found in France, and which he takes to be the real X. orientale of Linnæus. He has changed its name, because, he says, that it is not certain that the X. orientale grows in Asia; or, if any grows there, that it is identic with his species; which, however, is really the X. orientale of Linnæus, Son, Lamark, and Gaertner. He adds, that he possesses in his herbarium, a species from Canada, different from his X. macrocarpon which has been figured by Morison, on whose authority some authors have asserted that the X. orientale grew in Canada, mistaking his figure for that plant.
From the above statement, it appears that much obscurity and difficulty arises in botany, when errors creep into the distinction of species: to detect those errors, and to ascertain the synonyme of obscure species, is not one of the least useful botanical labours. Having found, last year and this year, in the neighbourhood of New-York, a species of Xanthium different from any described by the authors, and intermediate between the X. strumarium and X. orientale of Linnæus, I presume that it may be the X. orientale of Muhlenberg, Leconte, and Morison, and the Xanthium of Canada, mentioned by Decandolle, Dumont, &c. I have given to it the name of X. maculatum, since the stem is spotted like the Conium maculatum. None of those authors having described it, I suppose that its description will be acceptable, and will serve to fix this new species among the American botanists.
Therefore it will appear, that the X. orientale, which had been considered as a native of Asia, Europe, and America, is composed of at least three species; the European species, which has been called X. macrocarpon by Decandolle, the American species, which I have called X. maculatum, and the Asiatic species, to which the name of X. orientale ought to remain; but which ought to be better described, and more fully distinguished from the X. macrocarpon by those who may chance to meet with it. I even suspect that many species grow in Asia, since that of Ceylon may be different from the Chinese and Siberian species.
Xanthium Maculatum.
Definition. Stem flexuous, round, rough, spotted with black; leaves long-petiolate, cuneate-reniform, nearly trilobe, sinuate-toothed, obtuse, rough, and thick; fruits elliptic, obtuse muricate; thorns rough.
Description. The root is annual, thick, and white. The stem rises from one to two feet; it is upright, without thorns, very thick, and with few branches; it is covered with oblong, black, and rough spots. The leaves are few, but large, with very long petiols; they are nearly reniform, with an acute base, and have three nerves; the teeth are unequal, large, and obtuse. The flowers and fruits are disposed as in X. strumarium; but the fruits are generally solitary; they are half an inch long, nearly cylindrical obtuse, with the two beaks scarcely perceptible and bent in, covered with short, thick, and rough thorns, rather soft, and not uncinate. The whole plant has a peculiar smell, not unpleasant, somewhat between the camphorate and gravulent odour, but weaker than in Conysa camphorata, &c.
History. This plant grows on Long-Island, near the seashore and marshes. I have found it common near Bath, on the downs, and in New-Jersey, near Bergen, and Powles Hook, on the margin of marshy meadows. According to Dr. Mulenberg, it grows also in Pennsylvania; Messrs. Torrey and Leconte found it on the island of New-York; and by Morison and Decandolle's account, it is found as far north as Canada. It blossoms in August and September, but the fruits remain on the plant till the severe frosts of December.
Observations. This species differs from the X. macrocarpon of Decandolle, by having smaller fruits, without horns, and whose thorns are neither hooked nor hispid; by not having an angular stem, but a round, spotted one, and by its leaves being broader, and not serrate, &c. Nearly all those differences exist between it and the X. orientale of Asia, which has not yet been isolated from the X. macrocarpon. The X. edrinatum differs from this by having oval fruits, with aggregated, echinate, and hooked thorns; and the X. strumarium, by having cordate hirsute leaves, the fruits aggregated, with hooked thorns and horned tops. The X. spinosum, and X. fruticosum, ate so totally different that they need not be compared.
ZOOLOGY.
