Hygrqcrocis,] 



ALGiE CONFERVOIDLliE. 383 



tufts or continuous strata, much branched ; branches very erect, almost 

 appressed, long and virgate, more or less furnished with short ramuli. — 

 Colour, in «. rose or blood-red ; in j3. dull bluish grey. Capsules very 

 minute, tufted on the lower ramuli. A most beautiful plant, a good 

 deal resembling Cd/ilhamnion virgatulum, under the microscope, and very 

 similar in structure : /3. is smaller and less branched ; but there are 

 insensible gradations. — Mr. Arnott informs me, that a specimen in his 

 possession, from Dilhvyn, proves the Conf. nana of that author to be 

 identical with the present. 



82. Protonema. Ag. Protonema. 



Filame?its subarticulated, branched, rooting, mostly green. — 

 Name, ^orog. first, or primary, and ^/i«, a thread. — The following 

 obscure productions are probably rudimentary mosses. — P. velu- 

 tinum, Ag. (the well known Byssus velutina) having been 

 proved to be merely the commencement of Polytrichum aloides, 

 I have omitted. 



1. P. umbrosum, Ag. (shaded Frotonema); stratum velvetty 

 green, filaments erect obtuse fastigiate fragile, articulations gib- 

 bous. — Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 43. — Conferva umbrosa, Dilhv. Conf. 

 t. 61. 



On damp ground. 



2. P. cryptdrum, Ag. (Cave Protonema'); filaments dichoto- 

 mous green, branches divaricating acuminated, articulations 

 thrice as long as broad. — Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 44. — Conferva 

 cryplarum, Dillw. Conf. Syn. t. D. E. Bot. t. 2588. 



In caves, first observed by R. Brown, Esq. — Agardh suspects this 

 may be the young of some Phascum. 



3. P. Achdrii, Ag. (Acharian Protonema); filaments brown- 

 igh-green branched erect, articulations twice or thrice as long 

 as broad, joints contracted. — Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 44. — Conferva 

 Achani, Dillw. Conf. t. 69, 



On damp shady l>: I 



4. P. OrtkdtiricAi, Ag. (parasitical Protonema); filaments 

 olivaceous minute branched obtuse erect, articulations about 



m long as broad Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 44. — Conferva Orthotrichi, 



Dillw. Conf. i. 89— C. muacicola, 1-. Bot.t. L638. 



On tin- leaves and Btemfl <>t various Orthotrichai common. 



5. I*, muscicola, Ag, (chestnut-coloured Protonema)} filaments 

 brown branched, branches alternate divaricate subulate, articu- 

 lations thrice a- longas broad. — Ag. Syst. Alg. />. 45. — ('<>///< n/a 

 castanea, Dillw. ('"if. Syn. p. 72. E. Hot. t. 1701. — C ma 

 cola, Web. * i Mohr. 



in . Lady places, among mossi 



I Ivi.uin i:.» [s. .'v. Hygrooro 



Filaments hyaline, interwoven into an uniform membrane 



or 



gelatine. — Name fe longing to ir<>t< r. and .. <,;. a Huh tuft. 



