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CONFERVA flexuosa.
Green Zigzag-branched Conferva.
CRYPTOGAMIA Algae.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced within the substance of
the capillary or jointed frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. Green. Frond capillary, once or twice
branched, zigzag. Ultimate branches alternately
two-ranked, spreading. Joints cylindrical, elongated,
with obsolete partitions.
Syn. Conferva flexuosa. FI. Dan. t. 882. Dillw.
Conf. t. 10.
F o u n d long ago by Mr. Turner at Yarmouth} and by
Mr. W . J. Hooker in salt ditches at Cley, Norfolk, in April
1807. -
The filaments form entangled green masses at the bottom of
the water; the principal ones being once or twice branched,
finer than a hair, of a dark blackish green. The ultimate
branches, very conspicuous to the naked eye, are of a pale
yellowish green, disposed, several together, in a row pointing
toward one side, the next row being.directed the contrary way.
They are at first simple, but each afterwards produces a series
of short unjointed shoots, all pointing forwards. The joints
of this plant are not visible except under a microscope, and
then not very striking. Each is 5 or 6 times as long as
broad, cylindrical, with partitions of their own green colour,
from which however the green contents of each joint seem to
separate soon after it comes out of the water, and when dry
the whole becomes pellucid with scattered masses of green.