C O N F E R V A myochrous.
A lp in e Mouse-shin Conferva*
CRYPTOGAMIA Alga.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced in round, solitary, closed
tubercles, projecting from the frond, but united
with it.
Spec. Char. Brown. Filaments densely entangled,
branched, scarcely jointed; the branches simple,
in pairs, incurved, mostly leaning one way. Joints
imperceptible.
Syn. Conferva myochrous. Dillw. Brit. Conf. t. 19.
To Mr. Turner we are entirely obliged for our knowledge
of this Conferva, as well as for the specimens we have drawn.
He found it abundantly on stones in the alpine torrents of
Snowdon, and in the vale of Beddgelert. He describes it as
« matting the stones, often to a considerable extent, with a
velvetty covering three or four lines in thickness, which, when
taken Out of the water, might aptly be compared to the skin
of a mouse. Its colour was a dark glossy brown; its substance
soft to the touch; its filaments so closely matted together, as
to form almost an inseparable mass.” Mr. Turner adds that
the filaments were seldom more than half an inch long, and
that he found no root. Some of them are simple, others
branched, (as in our figure,) with pairs of simple incurved
pointed branches, generally leaning one way. The branches
and filaments are as ee fine as the finest wool. There were in
some specimens faint appearances of septa, but they were no
where so evident as to warrant the inserting them in the
figure.” Such are the particulars communicated by Mr.Turner
to Mr. Dillwyn.
Mr. Sowerby has found nothing like joints or septa, nor has
any fructification been seen. The former only, in general, are
our guide to the genus Conferva. In the present instance we
have only a general similitude to assist us, but there is no
reason to mistrust it.