CONFERVA SPONGIOSA. 



C. filameniis ramofis ; ramulis breviffimis fimplicibus undique Htibricatis; 



articulis brevibus ; capfulis oblongis pediccllatis. 



C. fpongiofa. Fl. Ang. p. ^96. Fl. Scot. p. 983. With. IV. p. 132. Roth, hi 

 Schrader's Journal, part II. 1800. 



Fucus hirfutus. Lin. Mant. p. 134. 



F. teretifolius fpongiofus pilofiflimus. Ray Syn. p. 46. 



Mufeus marinus hirfutus; flagellis longis ramofis fub viridibus. Hift. Ox. III. 

 p. 690. Se£t. 15. 1. 9. f. 6. 



Rocks in the fea, not uncommon. 



C. fpongiofa is not uncommon on our fhores, and is particularly abundant on 

 the rocks at Cromer, Ilfracombe. and Swanfea. It feldom exceeds three inches 

 in length, and varies from a very dark to a lighter olive color. The root is a 

 callus, from which feveral irregularly branched Items arife ; the Items and 

 branches are clofely imbricated with fhort, fimple, rigid, hair-like ramuli, difpofed 

 without any apparent order. In thefe ramuli fliort joints are readily difcoverable 

 with the afliftance of a microfcope. The capfules are fmaller, and placed on 

 longer footftalks than in any fpecies heretofore defcribed : they generally abound 

 on the ramuli, and are frequently, though not conftantly, oppofite. The feeds 

 ire discharged as defcribed under C. coccinea. 



Relying on the rough and fpongy appearance of the prefent fpecies, and C. 

 verticillata, Hudfon feems to have had no idea of feparating them, and we are 

 •indebted to the learned author of the Flora Scotica for firlt afcertaining their 



