CONFERVA NITIDA. 



C. filamentis fimplicibus fplenclemer lubricis, articulis longiufculis cylin- 



dricis fru&ificationum granulis duplicato-fpiralibus. 

 C. nitida. Fl. Dan. Tab. 819. 



C. rivularis. B. Fl. Ang. 591. Fl. Scot. p. 976. With. IV. p. 128. 

 C. paluftris fenica, craflior & varie extenfa. Dill. Mufc. 3. t. 2. f. 2. 



Byflus paluftris confervoides non ramofa viridis, filamentis craffioribus, fetas apri- 

 nas semulantibus. Mich. Gen. p. 210. t. 89. f. 6. 



C. decimina. Muller in Nova Acta. Pet. III. 



C. fetiformis. Roth Cat. Bot. Fafc. 1. p. 171. II. p. 203. 



In Ditches and Pools ; about London and Yarmouth, common. 



THIS curious vegetable, which diere is every reafon to believe is not un- 

 common in ditches and ftagnant waters throughout England, was near a century 

 ago regarded as a diftin£t fpecies by thofe botanifts, who at that time directed their 

 attention to this tribe; though from their imperfect acquaintance with the fubje£t, 

 they retted its claim to be confidered as fpecifically diftinct from C. rivularis, 

 only upon its fhorter thicker filaments, and the ftraggling mode of its growth: cir- 

 cumftances which, as the accurate Dillenius obferved, might be occafioned by the 

 diffimilar places which the two plants inhabit. Subfequent writers regarded them 

 merely as varieties, till the prefent was figured in die Petersburg Tranfa£tions and 

 the Flora Danica; and in the year 1797, Dr. Roth gave a complete account of it in 

 the firft volume of his Catalecta Botanica. It in general grows at the bottom of 

 the water in loofe irregular patches, not fufficiently matted to contain air bubbles, 

 nor fo much entangled as molt of its congeners : its threads extend to a foot or 

 more in length, and in thicknefs are about equal to the hair of the human head : 

 its colour, when viewed in its place of growth, is fo dark as often to appear almoft 



