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I
This is the Vaucheria polyspei'ina of Hassall, who says of i t : “ I t is by
no means uncommon, and may be distinguished from all others known
to me by tbe fineness of its filaments, which are not half so large as those
of our other British species, no less than by the form and arrangement of
the sporangia. These are slightly pedunculate, varying in number from
3 to 5, but usually there are but three, the apices or beaks of which are
neither turned towards or averted from each other, but are all directed
one way. The resemblance which the capsules bear to a bird’s head
when viewed sideways is very remarkable, and this resemblance is
rendered still more striking by the fact that the circular sporangium
occupying only the central portion of each, and which therefore represents
tlie eye of the bird. ’
Flate X LV Il., fig . 4. Oogonia and antheridia of V. sericea X
200. Fig. 5. Oogonia containing oospores x 200. Fig. 6. Mature
oospore enclosed in an oogonium X 200, after De Bary. Fig. 7. Zoospore
X 200, after Walz. Fig. 8. Spermatozoids.
b. CoRNiouLATiE. Antheridia hent in the form o f a horn or a
hook, seated on short lateral branches.
P!
4 . V a u c h e ria D illw y n i. Ag.
Terrestrial, broadly expanded, forming a rather thin stratum,
of bright or dark green colour. Oogonia globose, or ellipsoid,
rostrate, sessile, usually single, sometimes in twins, enclosed in
delicately punctate membrane. Mature oospores spotted with
brown, sporoderm very thick, composed of several strata.
Antheridia bag-shaped, formed from the apices of short lateral
curved branches, either approximate to the oogonia or seated
between a pair of them.
Rabh. Alg. Eur. hi., 269. Grev. Alg. Britt, t. xix. Hass.
Alg. t. 4, f. 3. Eng. Ifl. V., p. 820. Jenner Tunb. Wells 176.
Eng. Bot. ii., p. 124. Harv. Man. 147. Johnst. El. Berw. ii.,
251. Grev. FI. Edin. 305. Mack. Hib. 234. FI. Devon ii.,
56. Hook. FI. Scot. ii., 93. Gray Arr. i., 290.
Vaucheria Ungeri, Thur. Ann. Sci. Nat. xix. (1843), t. 13, f.
43?
Vaucheria pachyderma, Walz Jahrb. p. 146, t. 12, f. 1-6.
Conferva frigida, Dillw. Conf. t. 10. Harv. Man. p. 147.
Conferva amphibia fibrillosa et spongiosa, Ray. Syn. p. 59.
On the ground in damp shady places.
I t is presumed that this is the same species as has been described by
Walz under the name of Vaucheria pachyderma, but the synonyms of some
of these species are a little mixed. Dillwyn says : “ It is not unfreqnently
found in turnip fields during the winter and early months of the spring,
particularly in a northern exposure, and on a cold soil. The patches
vary in size, hut are usually two or three inches in extent, adhering but
slightly to the soil, and consisting of loose unconnected filaments.”
“ The form of the capsules, which are rarely pedunculated, will at once
distinguish this from all other species,” says Hassall, “ which have
liitherto been described.”
123
Plate X LV ll., fiqs. 9, 10. Oogonia and antheridia of V. Dilhoym X
20^ F i i 1 1 OogL um of the same X 200. Fig 12. Mature oospor^
enciosed in membrane of oogonium x 230, after Walz. Fig. 13. Spe -
matozoids.
5 . V a u c h e r ia s e s s ilis . Vauch,. Conf.p. 81.gA 2 ,/. 7-
Loosely intricate, pale or rather dull green. Thallus capillary,
sparingly branched; oogonia 2 to 3 approximate, rarely
single, ovate or oblong-oval, more or less oblique (»strate
antheridia intermediate, either short, hamate, or stiaight and
subulate, or a little clavate, sometimes elongated and in curved,
rarely circinate. Mature oospores punctate with
brown, involved in a triple membrane.
Siz e . Oospore -07 mm. diam., thread -07 mm. (Cleve).
Eng. FI. V., 320. Cleve Vauoh. 133, f. 6. Kirsch Alg.
Schl. 82. Walz Vauoh. p. 145. Kutz. Tab. vi., 59, t. 2.
Hass. Alg. t. 4, f. 2. Eng. Bot. 'H a r v f a n . p. 148.
Grev. Alg. Br. p. 192. Jenner Tunb. Wells 176.
Vaucheria sphmrocarpa, Kutz. Tab. vi.,
FaucAm'a racmosa, Rabh. Alg. Sachs. No. 495.
Vaucheria Ungeri, Thur. Ann. Sen Nat. xix. (1843), t. 11,
12, 13, f. 37-42 and 44.
Sporangia.— „ ,
Vaucheria clavata, Vauoh. Conf. t. 3, f. 10. Hass. Alg.
59, t. 2, f 20-33. Harv. Man. 149. Berk. Glean, t. 10.
Gray.’ ^ - r . i . , 290.
In ditches, or on the ground.
var. a. c eespitosa. Vauch. Conf. p. 26, t. 2, /. 4.
Oogonia usually in pairs, ovate, opposite. Antheridia in termediate,
generally short, c irc in a t^
Vaucheria cmspitosa, Carm. Eng. FL v., p. 321. En „ Bot
1 t 2841 ii t. 2421. Hook. FL Soot, ii., 92. Jenner
Tnnb Wells 176. Grev. Alg. Britt. 194. Harv. Man. 148.
S i t r e I 'r .: ii., 251. Htll B,. FI. 3S0. Abbot. Bodf.
275. Mack. Hib. 234. Gray Arr. L, 29L .
Conferva amphibia. Dill. Conf. t. 41. W ith Arr iv 129.
Huds. FL Ang. ii., 594. Lightf. FL Scot. 979. Sibth. Ox.
336
Conferva amphibia fibrillosa et spongiosa. Dill. Muse. t. 4, f. 17.
Conferva terrestris exilis fibrinosa^ Eay. Syn. 59.
On the margins of streams or pools.
Fronds densely interwoven into eushion-like tufts or strata of in-
definite extent, irregularly branched, the tips erect, giving the surface the
„ S i t t ’tbS “ On lb . . l i . . ot a n . » . . n l .0 r j
it frequently occurs in masses so densely matted as to hold water
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