CONFERVA BYSSOIDES. 



C. filamentis decompofito-pinnatis ; ramis ramulifq ; altemis, extremis 

 perbrevibus, fubfafciculatis ; diffepimentis ex venarum anaitomo- 

 fibus ; articulis longiufculis, capfulis ovatis feflilibus. 



C. byffoides. Eng. Bot. p. 547- 



Fucus byffoides. Goodenough and Woodward, in Linn. Trans. III. p. 229. 



On Rocks, Stones, and Fuci in the Sea, common. 



THE prefent fpecies was firft defcribed by Dr. Goodenough and Mr. Wood- 

 ward, under the name of Fucus byffoides, in the Tranfaaions of the Linnean 

 Society. It was not however without confiderable hefitation that they thus 

 arranged it with the Fuci ; and Dr. Smith foon after in Englifh Botany, removed 

 it to the Confervx, to which it properly belongs, as its congeners are at prefent 

 all placed in this genus, and among them are feveral whofe diffepiments have 

 an equally fmall appearance of being formed by 'annular ftriaures.' 



C. byffoides is extremely common on moil of our fhores •, it grows in large 

 maffes, varying in length from three to ten inches, and in color from a reddifh- 

 brown to a light or purplifh red. The root is a minute callus. The filaments 

 are triply or quadruply pinnated, extremely flaccid, flexuofe, pellucid and beauti- 

 fully ftriated by longitudinal veins, each of which arching over at or near the 

 fame place appears to form the diffepiment. The branches and ramuli are all 

 alternate ; the primary branches long, the extreme ones very fhort, and fub- 

 fafciculate ; giving the plant throughout a Angularly tufted appearance. The 

 joints are rather long; capfules ovate, feffile, moftly axillary, reticulate, and 

 precifely of the fame nature as thofe of C. coccinea. 



