CONFERVA RIVULARIS. 



C. filamenris fimplicibus, atro-viridibus, tenuibus, langiiEnais denfij 

 compa&is, plerumque contortis ; articulis breviufculi . 



C. rivularis. S. Plant, p. 1633. Fl. Ang. p. 591. Fl. Scot. p. 975. With IV. 

 p. 127. 



G. compacla. Roth. Fl. Germ. III. pars. 1. p. 497. Cat. Bot. I. p. 170. 



C. fluviatilis fericea, vulgaris & fluitans. Dili. Muf. p. 12. t. 2. f. 1. 



C. Plinii. Ray Syn. p. 58. 



In flow dreams and ditches — common. 



AT a time when fo much doubt prevails among Botanifts, on what DiHenius 

 intended by his C. fluviatilis fericea vulgaris & fluitans, which all other authors 

 have referred to as their C. rivularis, it is with fome hefitation that I venture to 

 publifh the prefent plant as that fpecies. The following reafons, however, appear 

 to me fufliciently ftrong fully to juftify this fhep. — Firft. It is certain that the 

 plant intended by DiHenius is fome very common unbranched fpecies, which 

 grows to a remarkably great length, and has a filky appearance. In thefe par- 

 ticulars the prefent fpecies moll: ftrikingly correfponds, which is not the cafe with 

 any other plant. — Secondly. In the Dillenian Herbarium, which I have recently 

 examined, the plant immediately referred to as his ' t. 2. f. I.' is a fpecimen of 

 C. fpiralis, which from his defcription he appears to have confounded with it, 

 attributing the difference of its appearance to its growth in ftagnant water.* 

 There is alfo a fpecimen of the plant here figured, under the name of C. madraf- 

 patana ; and among the fynonyms and remarks on his C. fluviatilis fericea vulgaris 

 & fluitans, we find the following : " Conf. madarafpatana, Allocopafhy Malaba- 



* " In aquls vero ftagnantibus, quas quandoque intrat, brevior eft & lati expanfa cernitnr." 

 Dill. Mule. p. 1 2. 



