C O N F E R V A littoralis.
Common Soft Conferva.
CRYPTOGAMIA Alga;.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced within the substance of
the capillary orjointed frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. Olive-brown, very much branched, slender,
wavy, densely entangled and twisted ; the
points tapering and prominent. Joints cylindrical,
twice as broad as lone-O
Syn. Conferva littoralis. Linn. Sp. PI. 1 6 3 4 . Huds.
5 9 4 . With. v. 4. 13 0. Hull. 3 31 . Light/. 979.
Dillw. Syn. 32, 7 0. Conf. t. 31.
C. marina capillacea longa, ramosissima, mollis.
Dill, in Raii Syn. 59. Muse. 23. t. 4. ƒ . 19.
Ceramium confervoides. Roth. Catal. v. 1. 151.
C o m m o n on the sea shore, growing strongly attached, in
dense tufts about 6 inches long, to rocks, stones, shells, or
the larger submarine plants. Its colour is a rusty brown, or
tan colour, with tints of a green or purplish cast. The substance
is very tender and soft, but not gelatinous. Filaments
slender, with innumerable ramifications, growing twisted and
entangled together like ropes, while the taper very acute ultimate
divisions project on all sides, giving a feathery appearance.
The joints were not detected by Dillenius. They are
twice as broad as long; their partitions, according to Roth
and Dillwyn, two excellent Authorities, dark; we find tliem
pale, and are told they vary, according to age or circumstances,
in this respect. The fructification, in the form of
little lateral globes, drawn by Mr. Dillwyn, we have not seen.
He appears to have found it but once.
22jfr/.