CONFERVA ELONGATA. 



C. filamentis ramofiflimis canilagineis ; ramis ramulifque elongatis, 

 diffufis, fetaceis, venofis ; difiepimentis obfcuris articulis breviffimis, 

 capfulis ovatis feffilibus. 



C. elongata. Fl. Ang. p. 599. With. IV. p. 137. 



Fucus diffufus. Fl. Ang. p. 589. Lin. Tranf. III. p. 197. 



On Rocks in the Sea, common. 



C. ELONGATA, which in fize exceeds every other Britifh Confervas, is ex- 

 tremely common on molt if not all our fliores, and I have frequently feen it adhering 

 to oyfters in the London markets. It has been often, and not uncommonly, called 

 the Lobfter-horn Conferva. Its root is an expanded callus ; the frond in general 

 folitary 5 the main ftem is as thick as common twine, and of a more cartilaginous 

 and firm texture than in any odier fpecies. The branches and ramuli are fetaceous, 

 long, diffufe, and elegantly veined ; under the higher powers of the microfcope 

 the veins prefent a very remarkable appearance, being filled with a fluid, which, 

 in drying, collapfes towards the middle, prccifely as reprefented in the magnified 

 filaments of Conferva glomerata (tab. 13.) ; and in them a few diflepiments may 

 be here and there obferved, dividing them at uncertain and irregular diftances. 

 The larger of thefe veins, or rather perhaps thole which are difpofed on the 

 furface, anaftomoze at the diflepiments, as if they were the origin of them, but a 

 little obfervation fhews that they are quite independent of each other. The difie- 

 piments are of a darker color than the reft of the filaments ; the joints are very 

 fhort, being feldom more in length than half their breadth. The capfules, found 

 in die Months of July and Auguft, are fcattered rather fparingly on the ultimate 

 branches ; they are ovate, fettle, and in nature exactly referable thcfe of C. 



