BATRACHOSPEEMUM. 107 



ments. I do not think that there exist other vegetables which 

 boiling water does not immediately disorganize ; there are not 

 others that can resist temperatures so opposite." — Bory. 



This species differs from Batracliospermum helmintosum by 

 its stems, which are never denuded below, but always verticiL- 

 late, and by its branches, which are more obtuse, less thick at 

 their insertion, and furnished with many secondary branchlets. 

 I am not certain however that the B. helmintosum is anything 

 more than a variety, which the following may be also. 



4. BATRACHOSPER3IUM STAGNALE Hass. 



Char. Frond yelloioish green. Filaments thick, branched. 

 Whorls, distinct, slightly compressed, in the trunk confused. 



Batrachospermum ludibundum {stagnale) Bory, Annales du 

 Museum, vol. xii. p. 325. pi. 30. fig. 5. Conferva fon- 

 tana, nodosa ; spermatis ranarum instar lubrica minor et 

 viridis, Dill. Muse. vol. xvii. f. 44. Co7if stagnalis, 

 globidis viridis, centibus mucosis. Chara batrachosperma 

 Weiss, Plant. Crypt. 



Hab. Cheshunt, Herts : A. H. H. 





"Roth (Cat. Bot. i. 126. No. 11. 187.) referred this last 

 synonyme of Dillenius to a variety (/3) of Batrachospermum mo- ^_^1J^ 

 niliforme : he has since regarded this variety ( Cat. Bot. iii. 161.) ,- /^ 

 as appertaining to his Conferva mutabilis, which is one of our ^/J\^ 

 Draparnaldice ; but certainly the figure cited by Dillenius and -4^ y^ 

 his phrase applies perfectly to the Batrachosperm which is 

 here under consideration, and cannot be applied to any other 

 plant. The rounded and very distinct globules, which the ^^^^^* 

 English author represents, have no kind of resemblance to the /^ 1 ^ 

 scattered tufts of the Conferva mutabilis of the German natu- ^^ ^^^ 

 ralist. As to the figure 43. of the ' Historia Muscorum,' there ^^.e^ ^ 

 is no doubt that it represents the same plant as the figure 44. >^^^ 

 There is absolutely no diiference but in the length of the 

 branches, which proceeds from the age of the specimens repre- 

 sented. The stagnant variety of Batrachospermum ludi- 

 bundum has great resemblance in form and diameter to 



/s 



