Miczo co leu s te z z e stz is. Desm. PI. Crypt. E.rs. I., No. 55.
Stratum more or less expanded, deep blue green or steel blue,
or olive, becoming brownish, membranaceous, mucilaginous ;
trichomes equal, collected in filiform fascicles, sometimes much
elongated, extruding from the opening of a common sheatb in a
penioillate manner, joints equal in breadth and length, dissepiments
granulated, apiculus acute, straight.
S iz e . Trichomes-OOS-'OOG m m .; fascicles'Olb-'OS mm.
Kiroh. Alg. Scbl. p. 244.
Chthonohlastus repens, Kntz. Tab. Phyc. i., t. 54. Kabh. Alg.
Eur. ii., 182.
Microcolevs repens, Hass. Alg. 260, t. 70, f. 3. Jenner Tunb.
Wells 188. Harv. Man. 168.
Conferva vaginata, Eng. Bot. i., t. 1995.
Oscillatoria chthonoplastes, var. p. Eng. Fl. v., 373. Mack.
Hib. 239.
Vaginaria vulgaris, Gray. Arr. i., 280.
Vaginaria chthonoplastes, Grev. El. Ed. 305.
On moist naked ground.
“ The frond consists of numerous curled branches diverging from a
centre in a starry manner, and gradually tapering from a broad base to a
fine point, containing numerous deep peen filaments, which radiate and
oscillate from the tips, and, on laceration, issue in bundles.”—Harvey.
Plate X C IX . fig. 2 . End of fascicle of trichomes with sheath x 400.
Genus 103. IN A C T IS . KuU. (1843.)
Trichomes vaginate, indistinctly articulate, parallel and fastigiate,
now and then dichotomous, very densely aggregated and
agglutinated in a pulvinate thallus.
“ Filaments bundled, erect, growing in small rounded tufts, or in a
felt-like turf of indefinite extent. Trichomes very slender.”—Tlmret.
In a c tis Czesswe lli. Thur. in Ann. Sci. Nat. (1876) 377.
Forming convex roundish or oval patches, which become confluent
for several inches ; filaments hyaline, yellowish or greenish
olive, collected into dense rope-like branching bundles, which
are fastigiate ; trichomes exceedingly slender, once or twice divided
in a dichotomous manner.
S iz e . Trichomes -0025 mm. diam.
Schizothrix CresswelU, Harv. Phyo, B ritt, t. 160. Rabh.
Alg. Eur. ii., 268.
Spreading over the surface of soft sandstone rocks exposed to
the drip of fresh water.
■“ Mr. Gresswell states that it grows at the very top of high water mark,
in situations where it is exposed to the continual drip of fresh water
falling from high mural cliffs, and that it is most luxuriant where tlie
drip falls from the greatest height, which in the station observed is about
fifty feet.”—Harvey.
Plate 0. Jig. 2. a, portion of fascicles of trichomes X 100 ; i>, trichomes
X 400.
In a c tis tin c to z ia . Thur. Ann. Sci. Nat. (1875) 377.
Fasciculate ciespitose, dingy brown becoming olive; trichomes
single or many associated in one sheath, joints equal in length
to their diameter or a little longer; sheaths broad, colourless,
distinctly lamellose, even.
S iz e . Trichomes ’002 mm. diam.
Hydroeoleum tinctorium, Br. Kabh. Alg. Eur. ii., 294. Ralfs
Exs., No. 19.
On aquatic plants.
Mr. Marquand says that he has never seen it growing on any other
plant than Scirpus fiuitans, and he adds :—“ I have never seen a vestige
of green about it in its natural condition during any period of its existence
; when decaying it becomes pale, and eventually almost white ;
when in its best condition it is of a rich chesnut brown. In drying it
turns green. In its best condition, when placed in water for twelve hours,
it will dye it of a clear rosy purple.”
The following description of this plant has been kindly furnished by
Mr. Ralfs :—“ In rapid streams on leaves of aquatic plants, it forms a
minute continuous covering on leaves of aquatic grasses, giving them a
feathery appearance. Colour varying from nearly black to pale reddish
brown ; in drying and decay it turns green, and gives a purplish stain to
paper. Filaments somewhat mucous, very slender, nearly colourless,
cohering at base in fascicles containing 3 to 8 filaments, and by their
separation at intervals, simulate branches, and thus gradually reduce the
number cohering until they ultimately separate into single ones. The
filaments thus appear comparatively stout at the base and gradually to
become attenuated upwards. As the apparent branches are given off this
is more especially the case, because, from their pale colour, indistinct
endochrome. and closeness of connection, it requires care to detect that
they are really fascicled. Besides the elongated filaments there are
numerous short ones at the base, together with crowded, somewhat
thicker clavate erect bodies. Whether these are the fruotifloation or
rudimentary fascicles I am unable to determine.”—Ralfs.
Plate 0. fig. 3. Upper portion of fascicle of triobomes X 400.
Genus 104. LYNGBYA, Ag. em. Thuret. (1875.)
Filaments enclosed singly in a sheath, simple, or only exceptionally
exhibiting the beginning of ramification where the
trioiiome issues from the side of the sheath ; often combined in
a membranaceous stratum.—including Phormidium Kutz.