CONFERVA FUCICOLA. 



C. filamentis coefpitofis fimplicibus, obtufis ; diffepimcntis pellucidis 

 parum contraftis; articulis Iongiufculis. 



C. fucicola. Velley's Marine Plants, pi. 4. With. IV. p. 1-6. 



In the Sea ; parafitical on Fucus nodofus & veficulofus, not uncommon. 



MY friend Col. Velley firft difcovered the prefent fpecies, and gave a correct 

 reprefentation and defcription of it among the colored figures of Marine plants 

 with which he has favored the public. It is I believe far from uncommon on 

 any of our fhores, generally growing on thick tufts on Fucus veficulofus, and 

 fometimes, but much lefs frequently, on F. nodofus. Col. Velley jufty remarks 

 that it does not feem to pofTefs that indifference with refpect to places of growth 

 which is ufual in Marine plants, as it has never been detected on rocks, {hells, 

 or other extraneous bodies either by him or myfelf. An immenfe number of 

 filaments generally grow together, thickly cluftered at the root, but while in the 

 water diverging in a circular direction, and varying from four or fix lines to an 

 inch in length : they are always unbranched and obtufe at the apices. The 

 color is of a dirty yellow or brown, fomewhat glofly when dried, and when 

 viewed with a microfcope the whole filament exhibits a confiderable degree of 

 tranfparency. The diflepiments are nearly colorlefs and flightly contracted ; the 

 joints are in length about equal to twice their thicknefs and are filled with minute 

 granules, which may probably prove to be the fructification as no other has been 

 difcovered. 



