so [ 2588 ]
C O N F E R V A cryptarum.
Green Cave Conferva.
CRYPTOGAM1A Alga:.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced within th e substance of
th e capillary or jo in ted frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. Green. Filam ents entangled, much
branched,forked, divaricated, sharp-pointed, somewhat
rigid. Jo in ts slightly swelling, twice or
th ric e as long: as broad. O
Syn. Conferva cryptarum. Dillw. Syn. 5 9 . t. D .
* V E are induced to publish this species at present, not only
because of its rarity, but to do away an idea, apparently suggested
by the specific name, of its being the famous Byssus cryptarum
of Linnaeus; see his Tour in Lapland, vol. i. 47 and 55. This
last is very distinct, much more slender, paler, and not jointed;
at least not visibly so, under a magnifier which shows the joints
of the plant before us very conspicuously.
C. cryptarum has hitherto been observed in caverns only, in
Various parts of Ireland. Miss Hutchins gathered our specimen
in caves by the sea-side near Bantry. It grows in tufts, often
intermixed with Hypnum tenellum, t. 1859, and though somewhat
akin to C. velutina, t. 1556, in colour and structure, it is
of at least five times as coarse a texture. The branches moreover
are totally different in their forked, divaricated, and recurved
form, and taper points. The dry specimen is rather rigid, elastic,
and pellucid, the green colouring matter settling towards the
minute partitions of the joints.