360 ALGJE CONFERVOIDE.E. [Mottgeotia* 



Endochrcme granular, at length forming roundish globules at the 

 point of conjugation. — Named in honour of M. J. B. Mougeot, 

 an excellent German botanist, and one of the authors of the 

 useful " Stirpes Cryptogamce Vo&ego-Rhena7ice" 



1. M. genvflexa, Ag. (knee-bent Moiigeotia); filaments slen- 

 der fragile, at length genufiexed and irregularly united by short 

 transverse tubes, endochrome half-filling the articulation, glo- 

 bules sphserical — Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 83. — Conferva genvflexa, 

 Dillw. Cojif. t. 6. 



In ditches and pools, very common ; forming vast yellowish-green- 

 or dull-yellow masses, often 30 feet in diameter. — Filaments very fragile; 

 endochrome at first filling the tubes ; but soon contracting into a longi- 

 tudinal fascia. 



2. M. compression, Ag. {compressed Mougeotid); filaments 

 very fragile curved irregularly united by transverse tubes, en- 

 dochrome compressed, globules sphserical. Ag. Syst. Alg. J9.83. 

 — Zygnema compressum, Lyngb. Hydroph. Dan. t. 58. 



In pools and ditches ; near Appin, Capt. Carmichael. — Habit of the 

 preceding; "filaments about as thick as those of Zygnema quininum, 

 and remarkably fragile, flying asunder in single joints, which then become 

 more or less curved ; articulations 3 — 6 times as long as broad. The 

 internal mass, occupying about two-thirds of the articulation, is collapsed 

 or compressed, appearing, when its edge is presented to the eye, as a 

 slender line running through the centre of the filament. Sporidia glo- 

 bular, lodged in the dilated transverse tubes." — Carpi. MSS. This acute 

 naturalist further remarks, " I am disposed to believe that each articu- 

 lation of this species, if not of the whole genus, is a complete plant; in 

 other words, that a filament is a chain of individuals, cohering somewhat 

 in the manner of the genus Sal])a among the Mollasca. In this point of 

 view only, can I account for what I have often remarked, the junction 

 of two articulations and the formation of a sporidium after they had 

 been detached from their respective filaments. The inosculation of 

 these simde joints takes place in the most capricious manner, sometimes 

 it is central, at others, the end of one joint is presented to the centre of 

 the other, or they meet end to end forming a right, an acute or an ob- 

 tuse angle." Carm. MSS. 



3. M. ccerulesce?is, Ag. (blueish Mougeotia); filaments slender 

 fragile inosculating without tubes genufiexed, globules green 



cruciform. Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 83 Conferva cceridesce?is, E. Bot. 



t. 2457. 



Pools and ditches, rare. Boggy pool on Henfield Common, Sussex, 

 Mr. Borrer. Appin, Capt. Carmichael. — " Where this plant occurs in 

 a quantity and unmixed with Conferva?, it forms a greyish cloud in the 

 water. Filaments extremely slender; articulations 5 — 6 times as long 

 as broad, filled with a blueish fluid, through which passes a slightly spi- 

 ral line of granules, joining without the intervention of transverse 

 tubes, generally breaking off in pairs and then assuming the form of a 

 cross, connected by the central cruciform sporidium." Carm. MSS. 



