CONFERVA FRIGIDA. 



C. filamentis inarticulatis repentibus ramofis ; ramis fubdichotomis 



alternis, exficcatione diflin&is ; capfulis feffilibus rotundis. 



C. frigida. Roth. Cat. Bot. I. p. 166. Fl. Germ. III. p. 491. 



C. amphibia fibrillofa et fpongiofa. Dill. Hift. Mufc. p. 22. Tab. 4. f. 17. A. 



C. terreftris exilis fibrillofa. Ray. Syn. p. 59. n. 7. 



On the Ground in moifl fhady places. 



THIS Conferva, not unfrequently found in turnip-fields during the winter and 

 early months of fpring, particularly in a northern expofure, and cold foil, had 

 been confidered by Dillenius and all other writers, as not fpecifically diftincl 

 from C. amphibia, till Dr. Roth feparated it in the firfl volume of his Catalecta 

 Botanica. His reafons for thus doing appear to me fo convincing, that, though 

 in all matters of this nature, I would with to proceed with die utmoft caution, I 

 have felt no repugnance in adopting them, and am convinced my reader will not 

 be difpleafed at my introducing them at foot in the words of their author.* 

 Dillenius, as well from his figure as defcription evidently knew both fpecies ; 

 though, not accuftoming himfelf to the ufe of a microfcope, he regarded them as 

 the fame. How far Hudfon, Lightfoot, and Withering were equally acquainted 

 with both, may perhaps admit of fome doubt : for my own part I mould be 

 inclined to think that they refer to this alone, but their defcriptions are of fuch a 



* " Habitum enim fuum fub quavis conditione retinet et ramivel ramuli diftin<fH exficcatione nun- 

 quam coeunt in apices rigidiufculos, aculeos reftrentes, nee unquam in ahum excrefcunt, fed depreffi 

 lepent. Septentrionalem regionem et frigidam femper fpectat illamque tantum amat, madifa&ione 

 fpongise in modum aquam non imbibit, ut Conferva amphibia nee in majus volumen fefe expandit. Dif- 

 fert infupcr. l. ftratis filamentorum tenuioribus, laxe et inordinate expanfis et deprefSs : nee craflis, 

 fuperiore fuperficie quafi reticulatis et filamentorum ramulorumquc apicibus crefliufculis, z. Filamen- 

 tis rigidioribus, quad herbaceis, obfeuris, linea tantum longitudinali pellucida praeditis, cum ftriis 

 tranfverfa'ibus in cortice : nee membrana tenuiflima fub pellucida, tubulofa, finuosa et rugofa abfque 

 corticis evidentioris, quafi herbacei, veftigio compoiitis." Roth. Cat. Bot. I. p. 168. 



