; [ 1553 J
C O N F E R V A ericetoruni.
Purplish H eath Conferva.
CR YPTOGAMIA Alga;.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced in round, solitary, closed
tubercles, projecting from the frond, but united
with it.
Spec. Char. Dull purple. Filaments simple, slender,
prostrate, closely entangled, scarcely contracted at
the joints, which are about as long as they are
broad.
Syn. Conferva ericetoruni. Dillw. B rit. Conf. t. 1.
Roth. FI. Germ. v. 3. 507. CataL-v. 2. 206.
S e n t from moist sandy heaths in the neighbourhood of
Yarmouth by Mr. D. Turner, by whom it was ,first discovered
in Britain and communicated to Mr. Dillwyn, the ingenious
author of the Synopsis of British Confervce above quoted. On
the accuracy of those gentlemen, who have compared it with
specimens from Dr. Roth its first describer, we may safely
rely for his synonyms, which we have no opportunity of
verifying.
The fibres are of a dull purple colour, closely entangled, un-
branched, very fine and slender, growing prostrate on the
moist sandy earth, which they cover in large patches, and
when once observed may easily be known again by their colour,
which does not partake of the green hue usual in plants
of this genus. Under a high magnifier the joints appear about
as long as they are broad, regular and uniform, most coloured
in their centre, scarcely contracted, as far as we can perceive,
at their points.of union. Mr. Dillwyn observes that this
species, though so long undescribed, is common on all the
moist heaths that he has examined. The fructification is unknown.