' j & i ' [ 1797 ]
R I V U L A R I A elegans.
Elegant Rivularia.
CRYPTOGAMIA Algos.
G e n . C h a r . Frond gelatinous, firm, destitute of an
external cuticle. Fructification among jointed filaments,
lodged in the substance of the frond.
Spec. Char. Globose, lobed, sessile, light green. Internal
filaments forked and divaricated ; their ultimate
branches clustered and curved ; their joints
somewhat swelling.
S y n . Rivularia elegans. Roth in Sims and Konig’s
Ann. o f Bot. v. 1. 2 5 9 . Catalect. v. 3. 3 3 7 .
Batrachospermum.fasciculatum. Faucher Conf. 116.
t. 13. f . 1.
"Th i s plant is found in fresh water, either running or
stagnant. Mr. W. Borrer sent it from the neighbourhood of
Hurstperepoint, Sussex, in March 1806; Mr. Turner had for
some years before observed it to be common about Yarmouth,
and had ascertained the synonym of his learned correspondent
Dr. Roth, who first established and characterized the genus
of Rivularia, to which we have alluded in v. 20. t. 1378, and
which, having lately become acquainted with all his observations
respecting it, we gladly adopt. The generic character is
sufficiently expressed above. Its habit is gelatinous like a
Tremella, but more firm; and an essential difference is observable
in the want of a cuticle or skin, instead of which most
species, if not all, are covered externally with fine white
colourless filaments. The internal structure is a mass of filaments,
simple or branched, more or less jointed, resembling
a Conferva. Our t. 967, 968, 1378, belong to this new genus.
The present species is light green, growing in crowded
globose, lobed masses, scarcely more than a line thick, on
sticks or leaves in the water. When examined under a powerful
lens, the internal filaments are found much branched and
divaricated, their ultimate branches crowded and generally
curved, their joints numerous, rather swelling' than exactly
cylindrical: the superficial filaments are very fine and scarcely
discernible. 1
OctruSoj. LihLshd. hi/ J a f Smverby London.