C O N F E R V A capillaris.
Capillary Cross-jointed Conferva.
CRYPTOGAMIA Algce.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced within thcsubstance of
the capillary or jointed frond, or in closed tubercles
united with it.
Spec. Char. Green. Filaments nearly simple, very
long, capillary, loosely entangled, rather rigid.
Joints twice as long as broad, even, alternately
contracted when dry.
Syn. Conferva capillaris. Linn. Sp. P I. 1 6 3 6 . Roth
Cattd. v. 1 . 175.
C. crispa. Dillw. Syn. n. 3 0 . t. B.
C. fluitansfilamentisgeniculatis. P lu k . Almag. 1 1 3 .
P hyt. t. 8 4 . / . 9. DHL Muse. 2 6 . t. 5 . ƒ . 2 5 , B .'
Proliferacrispa. Vouch. Conf. 1 3 0 .1 .1 4 ./ . 2. Dillwyn
COMMUNICATED by Mr. S. Wilkin, in October last,
from the rapid rivulet between Norwich and Costesy, where
IVlr. W. J . Hooker first found this species. Its filaments are
often many feet m length, of a dull or darkish green, as slender
as a human hair, even, parallel to each,other, at least where
the stream is rapid, and almost entirely simple: yet here and
there small branches are protruded, as discovered by Mr.
Hooker, and figured in Diilwyn. The joints are full twice
as long as broad, and no sooner begin to dry than they become
alternately flattened, decussating each other, even more remarkably
than in C. crispata, t. 2350, by which this species
is clearly and abundantly distinguished from C. Linum,
t. 2363; for it is no doubtful or ambiguous mark, but justifies
all the stress that Linnaeus has laid upon it. This being the
indubitable C. capillaris of Linnaeus, alone answering to his
description, and agreeing with his authentic specimen, we
cannot see any reason for altering its name, though all our
/English writers have confounded these two very dissimilar
plants together.
C. capillaris when dried becomes roughish and brittle; if
moistened it speedily resumes the cylindrical smooth figure, as
justly observed by Dr. Roth.