CONFERVA FUSCO-PURPUREA. 



C. filamentis fimplicibus, tenuiffimis, re£tis, fub-fafcicuhtis, cerate inae- 

 qualiter torofis ; articulis brevibus utrinquc fub-pellucidis, demuni 

 ferie globulorum cin&is. 



On lime-ftone rocks in the fea about high water mark in the neighbourhood cf 

 Dunraven Caftle. W. W. Toting. 



FOR the difcovery of this Conferva I am indebted to my friend, W. W. Young, 

 who found it growing with C. Rothii and another fpecies not yet defcribed, on 

 the lime-ftone rocks, a little below high water mark, in the neighbourhood of 

 Dunraven. It may be worth remarking that thefe rocks which produce feveral 

 Conferva;, that we have not been able to find on the Mumbles or other lime- 

 ftone in the weftern parts of the County, are of a different fort of lime-ftone, 

 and of that kind which I am informed is ufually called liasjlone, and are fimilar 

 in quality to thofe of which large quantities are exported from Aberthoir, and ufed 

 for the fame purpofes as Dutch terrace. This and many other obfervations 

 which I have made ftrongly tend to confirm the opinion of my friend Dawfon 

 Turner,* that the roots of the marine Algse are not merely intended by nature 

 to fix them to their places of growth, but that they are alfo ufeful as organs of 

 nutrition, although the hardnefs of the fubftances on which many of thefe plants 

 grow has led many botanists to fuppofe the contrary. 



Mr. Young informs me that C. fufco-purpurea frequently grows in very large 

 patches, fo as to cover the rocks for two or three fquare feet, and gives them a 

 very fhewy appearance with its glolTy hue and purple-brown color. The fila- 

 ments are quite fimple, ftraight, rather entangled in their growth, and in length 



» SynopCs of Britiih Fuci. Intr. p. 16. & 23. 



