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C O N F E R V A curia.
Short Conferva.
CRYPTOGAMIA Alga.
G e n . C h a r . Seeds produced within the substance of
the capillary or jointed frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. Pale brown. Filaments simple, cespitose,
rigid, nearly upright; tapering at the base. Joints
slightly tumid, about as broad as long.
S y n . Conferva curta. Dillw. Conf. t. 76. Synops.
n. 5 1 .
C o m m u n ic a t e d to Mr. Turner by Miss Hill, a most
indefatigable and faithful observer, who found it growing
parasitically on Fuel in the sea near Plymouth. Mr. Dillwyn
suspects it to be not uncommon.
Thp short simple fronds form dense rigid tufts, about a line
high, of a very pale brownish hue. Each plant is quite unbranched,
swelling upwards from a taper base; slightly beaded
from the swelling of the joints, each of which is about as
broad as long, the uppermost rather obtuse.
We have referred above to the very useful Synopsis,
published by Mr. Dillwyn at the end of his work on ConJ'ervce,
which we regret to find he has now finally concluded. Such
accurate observers, who direct their undivided attention to one
subject, are invaluable in the intricate departments of crypto-
gamic botany. We submit with equal pleasure and confidence
to this author’s opinion, on points to which he has
given infinitely more time and pains than we possibly could
afford, and we shall reconsider our genus Vaucheria, t. 1765,
1766, about which he adopts the sentiments of Roth in strong
opposition to those of Vaucher.