380 ALG^ CONFERVOIDEjE. [Chroulejms. 



articulations about four times as long as broad — Ag. Syst. Alg. 

 p. 33. — Conferva rubiginosa, Dillw. Conf. t. 68. 

 On rotten wood. Dillw. 



4. M. phosphoreum, Ag. (violet-blue Mycinetna); filaments 

 branched ascending very short violet-blue densely interwoven 

 into an uniform crust, articulations once and a half as long as 

 broad. — Ag. Syst. Alg.p. 33. — Conferva phosphorea, Dilho. Conf. 

 t, 88. — Auricularia phosphorea, Sow. Fung. v. III. t. 350. 



On decaying wood. 



80. Chroolepus. Ag. Chroolepus. 



Filaments rigid, subsolid, opaque, falling to powder, erect, 

 minute ; joints often contracted. — Name, y^oog, a skin, and Xs-ttw, 

 to decorticate; from the change which the filaments undergo. — 

 Small as this genus is, it contains two distinct tribes; the first, or 

 legitimate Chroolepus, is intermediate between Protonema and 

 Trentepohlia ; the second includes some minute objects which 

 ought surely to be removed to the byssoid fungi, perhaps to the 

 genera Monilia or Hdmisporium. Mr. Arnott, indeed, is of 

 opinion, with Fries, that the whole should form the modified 

 genus Byssus, and be removed from the Algce. 



1. Orange, red, or yellow, rarely greenish. (Amphiconium, Spr.) 



1. C. aureus, (orange Chroolepus); filaments forming soft 

 cushion-like tufts flexuose irregularly branched yellow-green or 

 orange, articulations twice as long as broad. — Trentepohlia 

 aurea, Ag. Syst. Alg.p. 36. — Conferva aurea, Dillw. Conf. t. 35. 

 — Byssus aurea, E. Bot. t. 212. — Ectocarpus aureus, Lyngb. 

 Hydroph. Dan. t. 44. — Amphiconium aureum, Spr. — Conf. ilici- 

 cola, E. Bot. t. 1639. 



On rocks and trees, very common. — This forms beautiful velvetty 

 cushions, of a chlorous, orange or brick-red colour, fading, after long 

 keeping in the herbarium, to a dull ash-grey. I hope I shall not be 

 accused of mischievously adding to the already numerous synonyms of 

 this little plant, by removing it to the present genus, which I have done, 

 from its very strong affinity to the four following species, (an affinity 

 already pointed out by Fries) 1 ; indeed, I am inclined to suspect, 

 they are mere varieties, resulting from difference of locality. With 

 neither Trentepohlia pulchella nor purpurea, has C. aureus any affinity. 



2. C. Jolithus, Ag. (orange-red Chroolepus); filaments tufted 

 erect very short orange-red dichotomous, articulations once and 

 a half as long as broad. — Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 34. 



On rocks, in woods, &c. — Mr. Arnott suspects this to be only a state 

 of C. aureus ; in which I am inclined to agree with him. 



3. C. odordtus, Ag. (sweet-scented Chroolepus); filaments 

 branched tufted short erect fulvous, branches patent rigid, articu- 



1 Syst. Orb. Veget. v. 1. p. 309. 



