remotis ; 



CONFERVA DIFFUSA. 



C. filamentis ramofis diffufis ; ramis fub-dichotomis flexuofis 



ramulis brevibus approximatis apice obtufis ; diflepimentis pellucidis ; 

 articulis longiufculis. 



Conferva difiufa. Roth, Cat. Bot. II. p. 207. t. 7. 

 On Rocks in the Sea near Swanfea. 



Dr. ROTH, who firfl defcribed this fpecies, informs us that it was difcovered 

 growing on decaying wood and rocks at the Helder, by his indefatigable friend, 

 Profeflbr Mertens ; to whofe pencil we are indebted for the figure of it in the 

 fecond fafciculus of the Catalefta Botanica. It grows in loofely-entangled 

 bundles, varying from two to fix inches in length, of a pale-green color, and 

 more rigid nature than moft of its congeners ; fo that, when drawn out of the 

 water, its filaments do not collapfe. The root is a minute callus ; each filament 

 is in fize nearly equal to horfe hair; forked near its bafe, and afterwards repeat- 

 edly dichotomous, at remote, but irregular intervals, with alternate, flexuofe, 

 rigid branches, often entangled almoft as much as thofe of Fucus plicatus. The 

 ramuli are numerous, fhort, folitary, and fimple : fometimes placed alternately, 

 but more frequently two, three, or four on the fame fide, and uniformly blunt at 

 their apices : they originate at the diflepiments, which are pellucid. The joints 

 are long, and cylindrical while frefh ; but, in drying, generally contraft in a very 

 curious manner, as is reprefented in Cat. Bot. t. 7. C. & D.— In which alfo at B 

 a number of fmall appendages are introduced. There were many agreeing with 

 them in every thing but color on the plants I found at Swanfea, which proved 

 on examination to be feedlings of Conferva rubra ; a fpecies which, as well as 

 many Polypi, often infefts this plant. I can hardly take a better opportunity of 



