MICROCOLEUS. 227 



water ; several inches long, flaccid, at length becoming curled and convo- 

 luted, when the sporidia, bursting through the tube, leave it partially empty 

 and pellucid." Carm. Transverse striae very evident and sub-distant. 

 When dry it is of a dull green, without gloss or any glaucous or verdigris 

 hue, and to the naked eye strongly resembles Conferva rivularis. 



4. L. speciosa, Carm. ; filaments long, thick, flaccid, 

 straight, at length curled, the margin crenate, freely floating 

 in the water, and forming extensive, bright green strata; 

 glossy when dry. Harv. 1. c. p. 371 ; Wyatt, Alg. Danm. 

 No. 196; Harv. Phyc. Brit. t. clxxxvi. B. 



On marine rocks and Fuci. Appin, Capt. Carmichael. Torquay, Mrs. 

 Griffiths. St. Michael's Mount, Mr. Ralfs. " This plant covers the whole 

 surface of the rock or stone, floating loosely in the water ; but, when left 

 by the tide, spreading over it in a thin, intensely green fleece. The fila- 

 ments are twice as thick as those of the former species, 3 or 4 inches long, 

 straight and flaccid, at length becoming curled and crenated by the mar- 

 ginal protrusion of the sporidia. These are of a very flat, lenticular form, 

 and when ripe burst through the sides of the tube, leaving it here and 

 there colourless." Carm. MSS. When dry it is of a deep glossy green. 

 Mrs. Griffiths' and Mrs. Wyatt's specimens are intermixed with Conferva 

 bangioides. 



5. L. Jlacca, Dillw. ; filaments short, tufted, straight, 

 bright green, flaccid; articulations half as long as broad. 

 Harv. L c. p. 354; Dillw. t. 49; E. Bot. t. 1943. 



On Fuci and floating timber. Filaments half an inch to an inch long, 

 forming broad, bright green tufts. It adheres closely to paper. 



V. MICROCOLEUS. Desmaz. [Plate 26, D.] 



Filaments minute, rigid, straight, transversely striated, 

 bundled, and inclosed within gelatinous or membranaceous, 

 simple or branched fronds ; from the apices of which they 

 oscillate. Name, /w-i^of, small, and xoteog, a sheath. 



1. M. anguiformis, Harv. ; fronds snake-like, simple, de- 

 cumbent, tapering much to the extremity ; filaments slender, 

 with distant striae. Harv. Phyc. Brit. t. ccxlix. 



Pools of brackish water, near the shore, at Dolgelly, Mr. Ralfs. 

 Forming a dense stratum on the surface of the mud. The sheaths are 

 much twisted and grouped together without order. Colour a dull, dark 

 green. The M. marinus of the first edition of this work, so far as the de- 

 scription goes, is founded in error j that description having been drawn up 

 from specimens of Homceocladia anylica incorrectly understood and imper- 

 fectly examined. What Capt. Carmichael's specimens may be I have not 

 the means of determining : possibly they are the same as our M. angui- 

 formis. 1 am afraid to quote the Oscillatorm chthonoplastes, frc., Lyngb. 



