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CONFERVA ERICETORUM.
P u rp b Heath Conferva.
C l a s s a n d O r d e r CRYPTOGAMIA ALGA:, im « . - N A T . O r d . ALG.E, Jms.
G EN E R IC CHARAC TER .
Fila articulata lihera distincta, unformia, entosperma.~-'KG.
Filaments articulated, free, distinct, uniform, seeds internal.
S P E C IF IC CHARAC TER .
C o n f e r v a ericetorum; Jilis simplicibus, intertextis, fusco-purpureis, articulis
diametro subcequalibus.
Conf. filaments simple, interwoven, brownish-purple, the articulations about
as long as they are broad.
C o n f e r v a e ric e to rum , Roth. Fl. Germ. v. 3. p. 501.—Cat. Bot. v. 2. p. 206.
—Dillw. Conf. t. \ .—Sm. Fngl. Bot. 1 .1553 With. Bot. Arr. v. 4. p. 176.
—FI. Dan. 1 .1548. f. 2— Schum. Fl. Sail. v. 2. p. 107 Desv. Ang. p . 15.
Moug. et Nestl. Stirp. Crypt. No. 694,.—Lyngb. Hydroph. p. 140. t. 47__
Hook. Fl. Scot. Pt. 2 . p. 81— Grev. Fl. Fdin. p. 318 Ag. Disp. p. 28.—
Syn. p. 76— Syst. Alg. p. 87.
H ab. On the ground in moist heathy places, occasionally in the water.
Summer. Frequent.
Filaments very slender, simple, creeping upon the surface o f moist heathy
ground, and densely interwoven into a fine web or stratum of a purple
colour, varying in extent, according to circumstances, from a few inches
to several feet. Articulations mostly nearly equal in their length and
b re a d th ; occasionally,, however, they are somewhat longer than they
are broad. They are furnished with a pellucid margin, b u t the centre
is a uniform purple.
y
Than the present species, few are more striking or more
common ; and yet it remained unnoticed till the publication of
Dr R o t h ’s Flora Germánica and Catalecta Botánica. Mr
D i i , i ,w y n mentions, that he has observed it on all the moist
heaths he has examined. In Scotland, I have often seen it
covering a space of several square feet, like a delicate crimson
carpet.
A variety of this species occurs, which seems to be merely
produced by inundation. It is then lax and floating, and the
articulations a little longer.
When creeping on the ground, I have noticed small radicular
processes to be given off sparingly by the filaments.
Fig. 1. a, C. ericetorum, natural size, b. Filaments, magnified.