CONFERVA setacea.
Crimson Setaceous Conferva.
CRYPTOGAMTA Alga.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced within the substance of
the capillary or jointed frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. Crimson, alternately and repeatedly
branched, taper-pointed. Joints a little swelling,
four times as long as broad. Lateral shoots bearing
tufts of filaments, containing many globular seeds.
Syn. Conferva setacea. Buds. 599. With. v. 4 .1 3 7 .
Hull. 333.
C. marina gelatinosa, corallines instar geniculata, te-
nuior. B ill. Muse. 33. t. 6. f . 37. Turn. T r. o f
L . Soc. v. 7. 107.
Corallina confervoides gelatinosa rubens, ramulis et
geniculis perangustis. B ill, in R aii Syn. 34.
A. BEAUTIFUL species, cast up on the sea shore in various
parts of our island in summer and autumn. Mr. Turner
communicated it from Yarmouth. The fructification, said to
be very rare, was sent us from Anglesea by our worthy friend
the Rev. H. Davies;
The frond is very bushy, and repeatedly branched, the
branches alternate, taper-pointed, but not acute. Joints
cylindrical, very little swelling, about 4 times as long as broad,
though many joints are found, here and there, much shorter.
The colour is an uniform crimson, changing to orange as the
plant lies on the beach. By drying the colouring matter contracts
into the centre of each joint, as in other species, nor
can its original position be restored by subsequent moistening.
The short lateral branches of some specimens terminate in
tufts of fine filaments, containing globular dark-crimson
bodies, presumed to be the seeds,