CONFERVA OCHRACEA. 



C. filamentis ramofiffimis tenuiffimis, perfragilibus denfiffime compa&is, 

 gelatinam ochraceara tamen in floccos fecedentem conftituentibus. 



C. ochracea. Roth, Cat. Bot. I. p. 165. t. 5. f. 2. Fl. Germ. p. 494. 

 In Pools and Ditches, common. 



THIS fingular fpecies is far from uncommon in Pools and Ditches, morr 

 efpecially in boggy fituations, and often nearly fills them with large gelatinous 

 and varioufly undulated maffes, differing in fhape according to the rapidity or 

 flownefs of the current. The color often varies in the fame mafs through every 

 poffible fhade of a dull yellow, and Dr. Roth obferves that it frequently tinges 

 ftagnant waters as if they were mixed with milk, and attributes this appearance 

 to the tranfparency of the filaments, but as it is only obfervable on the furfacc 

 of the maffes and where the filaments are much expofed to the fun, I mould 

 rather conceive it to arife from their having been bleached by its act ion. 



C. ochracea is fo extremely fragile that the flighted touch or even any con- 

 siderable agitation of the water breaks the filaments into a thoufand pieces, which 

 are fo light as to remain fufpended in the water whilft the leaft agitation con- 

 tinues, and then fubfide to the bottom in the form of an ochraceous powder. In 

 this ftate only the plant can be examined, and prefents under the microfcope a 

 multitude of fragments fo fmall that it is impoffible to afcertain the original 

 length of the filaments, and fo extremely flender that under the higheft microfcopic 

 power their thicknefs hardly appears equal to that of human hair of its natural 

 fize. Two or more branches are frequently obfervable on the fame fragment. 

 They are diffufe, moftly inflected, and difpofed without any apparent order. 

 Diffepiments may occafionally be faintly diftinguifhed, but from the extreme 

 tenuity of the filaments, not fo as to afcertain the length or nature of the joints*. 



8 



