f
with absolute certainty, but they are believed to directly develop the new
plant.”— Wood’s ire sh Water Algæ o f U.S., p. 218.
It is somewhat unoertain what should constitute the limits of species
in this genus, so that, with the exception of B. atrum, we have not departed
from the most generally accepted series, although we fail to distinguish
more decided specific characters to separate B. vagum from B.
moniliforme than can be found between, so-oalled, varieties of these
speoies.
Batrachospezmum monilifozm e. Roth. Oat. Bot. in., 160.
From one inch to a foot in length, clothed with a more or less
firm gelatinous mucous, violet-brownish, reddish-brown, purple,
or bluish-green, vaguely and profusely branched, joints of the
branches similar, oblong or clavate, outer ones sometimes setigerous,
inteniodes naked, or furnished with scattered accessory
branches.
S iz e . Cellules •02--022 x '01 mm.
Rabh. Alg. Eur. iii., 405. Kirch. Alg. Sohles. 45. Eng. Fl.
V. 388. Jenner, Tunb. Wells, 176. Eng. Bot. ii., t. 2542.
Harv. Man. 119. Johnst. Fl. Berw. ii., 257. Mack. Hib. 2 2 1 .
Hass. Alg. p. 109. Hook. Fl. Scot. ii., 77. Gray Arr. i., 380.
Vauoh. Conf. 112, 1 . 1, f. 5 ; t. xi, f. 4.
Conferva gelatinosa, Dillw. Conf. t. 32. Relh. Cant. Supp.
21. Hull Br. F l. 332. Eng. Bot. i., t. 689. Huds. Ang. ii.,
597. W ith . Arr.iv ., 134. Lightf. Fl. Soot. 986. Sibth. Ox.
337. Abbot. Bedf. 275.
Conferva fontana nodosa spermatis ranarim, Ray Syn. 62.
Dill. Muse. 36, t. 7, f. 42-46.
Batrachosperma ludibundamoniliformia,'Eorj. Axai, des Mus,
X X . , t . 3 0 , f . 1 .
In streams and ditches.
Plate OXX. fig. a, portion of filament X 30 diam. ; h, portion X 200
diam.
var. se tig e rum . Rabh. Algæ Exs. No. 854.
The extremities of the moniliform branchlets attenuated into
a long setiform thread.
S iz e . Cells -02 --024 ^ '01 mm.
var. p ulcherrim um . Bory. Ann. des. Mus. p. 40.
About four inches long, violet or purple, the gelatinous investment
less developed. Branches elongated, whorls rather
distant, globose, with the apices of the branchlets almost confluent,
interstitial spaces nearly naked.
S iz e . C e llu le s-018 x '01--012 mm.
Kirch. Alg. Schles, 45. Rabh. Alg. Eur. iii., 405.
Batrachospermum pulcherrimum, Hass. Alg. 109, t. 14, f. 1.
Batrachosperma ludibunda pulcherrima, Bory. loo. cit.
“ The extreme elegance of form and of colour renders this Batrachospermum
remarkable ; its stems are ratber more branched than those of
the variety confusum, and less than those of B. moniliforme, are from 2
to 8 i inches long, slender, and of an intermediate diameter. The globules
are perfectly sphærical, distant upon the stems from each other the
length of a ray, more approximate, flattened, but always distinct in the
branches. Its colour is a clear grey, approaching to a most agreeable
violet ; this last tint becomes dominant in drying, and passes sometimes
to red.”--Hassall.
Rlate OXXI. fig. a, portion of filament X 30 ;
g. b, smaller portion
X 200.
var. prolife rum. Kutz.
Stem and primary branches densely set with short accessory
branchlets.
S iz e . Cellules -018 X -01 mm. cliam.
Eabh. Alg. Eur. iii., 406.
Batrachospermum proliferum, Hass. Alg. 112, t. 63, f. 1.
B . moniliforme, ft proliferum, Carm. MSS.
“ Frond solitary, or in small clusters, 1 or 2 inches long, irregularly
branched, branches divaricate, curved, or flexuous, opaque, and very
dark coloured, beset with short ramuli, which issue out from the joints
among the whorls, of eccentric filaments, and are themselves beset with
whorls. Colour grey.—Carmichael.
Plate CXXII. Portion of filament X 200 diam., from original specimen.
var. con fusum. Hass. Alg. 105, t. 15, / . 1.
Fo r the most part bright violet, 2-3-4 inches long, and similarly
expanded, densely involved in a gelatinous mucous, whorls
approximate, with numerous interstitial ramuli irregularly dis-
SizE. Cellules •02--022 x -01 mm.
Eabh. Alg. iii., 405. Kirchn. Alg. Sohles, 45.
Batrachospermum confusum, Hass Alg. 105.
Batrachospermum giganteum, Kutz. Tab. Phyo. iii., t. 23.
Batrachosperma ludibunda confusa, Bory. Ann. des Mus. xx.,
t. 29, f. 3.
“ Of all Batrachosperms this acquires the greatest dimensions. Its
length is sometimes four inches and a half, its diameter equal often to
that of the culms of grasses. Its branches appear also to be less obtuse
tban in the other varieties. The globules, or whorls, are so approximated
and so large that they are often confounded together in such a manner
as to be with difficulty distinguished in certain specimens which have the
aspect of B. helmintosum. The colour of the plant is of a monse-grey,
agreeable by its transparency. The large stems approach a little upon
yellow. These tints beoome of a beautiful violet by putrefaction. I t is
upon individuals of this variety that I made for the first time, twelve
years ago, an experiment which ought to be known ; after having many
2 S