CONFERVA GENUFLEXA. 



C. filamentis fimplicibus tenuiilimis fragilibus hie illic genuflexis conju- 

 gatifque ; articulis longiufculis cylindricis, granulis inlineas coacer- 



vatis, 



C. genuflexa. Roth, Cat. Bot. II. p. 199. 



C. ferpentma. Muller in Nov. Ac3. Ac. Sclent. Imp. Petrop. III. 



In Ditches and Pools ; about London and Yarmouth. 



THE wonderful mode of growth, whence the preceding fpecies derives its 

 name, is remarkable alfo (though in a far lefs degree) i„ the prefent, which is 

 generally found floating in very thick manes on the furfaces of ditches and pools, 

 and may be diftinguifhed by its fhort filaments and pale yellow colour. When I 

 firft met with it in the vicinity of London, the threads were all fimple, nor were 

 there any fymptoms of their having a tendency to anaftomofe, but their extreme 

 bnttlenefs feemed to be their mod confpicuous character, as all of them had the 

 appearance of being more or lefs broken. Hence I concluded it to be the C fra- 

 gile of Dr. Roth's Cataletta, (II. p . 204 . } and , m -^ tQ ^ ^.^ 

 though, never having had an opportunity of examining any authentic fpecimens, I 

 have not ventured on quoting that as a fynonym. It was not till the middle 

 of April that I met with this fpecies in the ditches about Yarmouth, and difco- 

 vered it to be the real C. genuflexa, by comparing it with fpecimens from Prof; 

 Mcrtcus, in the extenfive herbarium of my friend D. Turner. The length of 

 the filaments does not appear to exceed an inch or two, though, from their brit- 

 tlenefs, it is impoffible to form an accurate judgment on the fubjeft : this mode 

 of anaftomofing is the fame as has been already dwelt upon in the account of C. 

 jugalis; but the conneding tubes are in general longer, and inftead of Mixing 

 from almoft every joint, they are placed at very uncertain diftances, and the fila- 

 ments are geniculate where they exift. C. genuflexa farther differs from jugalis 



