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C O N F E R V A ocellata.
E y elet Conferva.
CRYPTOGAM1A Alga.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced within the substance of
the capillary or jointed frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. T aw n y b row n , m u ch b ran c h ed , flaccid.
B ran c h e s sim p le , m o s tly tu rn e d one way, obtuse.
J o in ts tw ic e as broad as long, in te rn a l, w ith a
c en tra l dot.
Syn. Conferva ocellata. D illw . Syn. 60. t. D .
C oM M U NICATED by Mr. James Backhouse, from springs
on the moors near Wolsingham, Durham.
This appears to be a very rare species, Mr. Dillwyn, so conversant
with most of the genus, having never seen the present
species more than once. It composes dense tufted masses of a
dull brown, except when held against the light, in which position
they appear of a horny, or dirty orange, hue. They are of a
rigid substance, and do not adhere to paper in drying. The
copious branches are irregular, wavy or curved; the ultimate
ones bluntish, and many of them turned one way. The greatest
peculiarity of the species is, that a chain-hke row of vesicles
runs along the centre of the frond, each of which is marked
with a central dot, probably consisting of a mass of seeds.