CONFERVA SORDIDA. 



C. filamentis fimplicibus tenuibus, diffepimentis annularibus, articulis 

 Iongiufculis pellucidis. 



C. fordida. Roth, Cat. Bot. I. p. 1 77. t. 2. f. 4. Fl. Germ. III. part. 1 . p. 504. 

 In Ponds, Pools, and Ditches frequent. 



SOME time fince I fent fpecimens of this plant marked C. fordida, together 

 with the magnified drawing reprefented at B to Dr. Roth, requefting his opinion, 

 and he favored me with the following remark : " Omni modo convenit cum 

 mea Conferva fordida ; at genicula parum contra&a in meis fpeciminibus, quod 

 forfan ab aetatis diverfitate dependet." 



C. fordida in pools where the water has long remained without much motion, 

 forms round the grafs or reed on which it grows a femi-tranfparent cloud-like 

 mafs, of a yellowifh green color, but this readily yields to a fmall current, and 

 the plant then floats in denfer mafles on the furface. When the water has been 

 turbid, thefe mafles become mottled by the finer parts of the decayed vegetable 

 matter and mud which lodges on them, and they then aflume a dirty appearance. 

 The filaments are very long, but it is difficult to afcertain the precife length 

 from their entangled mode of growth ; they are fimple and extremely (lender ; 

 the diflepiments from the cylindricity and tranfparency of the filament appear 

 like rings, and in fact thefe rings only are apparent, and it is only from analogy 

 that I have fuppofed a diflepiment to exift, and from the probability that it may 

 be tranfparent in common with the other parts of the filament. The length of 

 the joints is moftly about equal to four times their diameter ; they are frequently 

 perfectly colorlefs under the higher powers of the microfcope, but a flight tinge 

 of green is then obfervable in young and perfect fpecimens. No fructification 

 has been discovered . 



