CONFERVA SCOPARIA. 



C. filamentis ramofiffimis rigidis, ramis fafciculatis, ramulis alternis 

 acuminatis, diflepimentis obfcuris, articulis brevibus. 



C. fcoparia. Sp. Plant, p. 1635. Fl. Ang. p. 595. Fl. Scot. p. 981. With. 

 IV. p. 131. 



C. marina pennata. Dill. Mufc. p. 24. t. 4. f. 23. 



Fucus fcoparia s. Pennachio marino. Bauhin pin. p. 366. Hiit. III. 800. 



On Rocks and Corallines in the Sea, not uncommon. 



THE above references fufficiently prove that C. fcoparia is one of the few Cou- 

 fervoe which have been long known and well afcertained by Botanifts ; indeed it 

 is fo far from uncommon, is fo obvioufly different from every other fpecies, and 

 with its cluftered branches often bears fo ftriking a refemblance to a painter's 

 brufh or pencil, that it is almofl impoffible it fhould have been otherwife. 



This fpecies when young is of a brownifti olive, changing with age to a ruflet 

 brown. From a fmall callus one or more Items arife, varying in length from two 

 to fix, and Mr. Lightfoot fays to nine inches. The branches are numerous, 

 alternate ; the upper ones often fo much longer and more cluftered than the 

 lower, as to give them a brufh-like appearance ; they are every where befet with 

 alternate fpine-like ramuli, which are highly characteristic of the fpecies. The 

 diffepiments are of a darker colour than the reft of the filament, and divide it 

 into joints, whofe length about equals their thicknefs. No fructification has been 

 difcovered. Its texture is remarkably like that of many Corallines, fo that doubts 

 have arifen in the minds of feveral Botanifts how far it really belongs to the 

 vegetable kingdom. Naked fpecimens of this plant are not unfrequently miftaken 



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