204 University of California Publications in Botany [Vol. 8 



5. Chaetomorpha cannabina (Aresch.) Kjellm. 



Filaments unattached, except possibly in the early stage, entangled, 

 soft and rather delicate, color light green, 45-150/a diam., narrow and 

 wide together in the same mass, or even a single filament tapering 

 from larger to smaller measurement; segments 3-8 diameters long, 

 uniformly 500-600ja long. 



Growing in tangled masses among other algae, and on wood 

 between tides. From Alaska to Puget Sound, Washington. 



Kjellman, Om Beringh. Algfl., 1889, p. 55 ; Collins, Green Alg. 

 N. A., 1909, p. 325; Saunders, Alg. Harriman Exp., 1901, p. 413; 

 Setchell and Gardner, Alg. N.W., Amer., 1903, p. 221 ; Collins, Holden 

 and Setchell, Phyc. Bor.-Amer. (Exsicc), no. 916. Conferva canna- 

 Mna Areschoug, Alg. Sc. Ex., ed. 1, no. 14, 1840, ed. 2, no. 135, Alg. 

 minus rite cog.. Pug. II, 1843, p. 268, pi. 9, Phyc. Scand., 1850, p. 433. 



What passes for Chaetomorpha cannalina seems to be fairly fre- 

 quent along our coast from Puget Sound northward to Bering Sea. 

 The habit is that of entangled prostrate masses, free or intertwined 

 with other algae. No organs of attachment have been found in any 

 of the specimens. The filaments are long, crisped and often intricately 

 entangled. The diameters of the segments range from 44/a to 125ju, 

 in our specimens and a considerable range of variation is usually 

 found in the same mass and even in the same filament. 



In attempting to determine the exact status of the Conferva can- 

 nahina Areschoug, we are met at once with conflicting statements in 

 the various descriptions of Areschoug. In 1843 Areschoug described 

 the species as having filaments %2-/45 li^e in diameter which, assum- 

 ing this to be the "Paris" line, means from 73ju. to 90/x. In 1850 

 Areschoug, however, states that the more slender filaments are 0.10 

 mm. and the thickest are 0.20 mm., thus indicating 100/* to 200/x for 

 the diameter of the filaments. An examination of no. 135 of the 

 second issue of the Algae Scandinavicae Exsiccatae shows filaments 

 ranging from 85/a to 145ja. 



Our west American specimens agree fairly well with the specimens 

 distributed by Areschoug under no. 135 of the second issue of his 

 Algae Scandinavicae Exsiccatae (the first issue is not accessible to us) 

 and it seems best to retain his name for our species, at least for the 

 present. It seems also, judging from the specimen in the Herbarium 

 of the Imperial Academy at St. Petersburg, to be the plant described 

 as Conferva tortuosa var. crassior by Kuprecht (1851, p. 399) which 



