[ 1883 ] 0-0,
CONFERVA taeniaeformis.
Tape-worm Conferva.
CRYPTOGAMIA Algce.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced within the substance of
the capillary or jointed frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. Pale green. Filaments capillary, simple,
compressed. Joints quadrangular, thrice as broad
as long, obscurely variegated, not striated ; at length
separating at one edge and divaricated.
FO U N D by Mr. W. Borrer in pools of sea water left among
the rocks by the tide ■ at Beachy-head, Sussex, in February
1808. It forms parasitical tufts, scarcely a line high, on
Confervafucoides.
This is one of that singular tribe of minute Confervas^ of
which we have figured two, t. 1761 and 1762, remarkable for
being composed of compressed quadrangular joints, at length
separating from each other transversely, onlv adhering by one
or other of their corners. This species differs from all the rest,
except pectinalis of Dillwyn, t . 24, in the extreme shortness
of its joints in comparison with their breadth; but the pectinalis
is a freshwater one, tapering to a point, and not separating
so frequently as ours, neither are their green internal
contents central as in the plant before us. The shortness of
the joints in our plant much resembles those of some foreign
species of Tcenia or Tape-worm.
On burning this production we perceive so much of “ an
ancient fish-like smell,” and so great an earthy residuum,
that, but for the analogy of the plants above mentioned, we
should think we had met with a coralline. This uncertainty
prompts us the more to make the discovery known, that it
may be further investigated, even at the risk of being charged
With not knowing a coralline from a Conferva.