Mr. Hassall on the Branched Freshwater ConfervcB. 363 



3rd sp. Cells usually once and a half as long as broad ; re- 

 productive bodies placed within the bulbs of the setas, which 

 become much enlarged for their accommodation. 

 4th sp. Filaments very minute ; cells usually four or five times 

 as long as broad. 



The filaments in this are not one-third so large as those of 

 the preceding species. 



Secondly, into the three well-known and intimately allied 

 genera Batrachiospermum, Drajmrnaldia and Chatophora, 

 which resemble in their mode of growth as well as in their 

 reproduction the branched Confervas of the following genus. 

 Thirdly^ into the genus Microspora. 



Nov. gen. Microspora. 

 Char. Frond attached, branched, filaments tapering and of 

 various diameter according to their age ; reproduction con- 

 sisting of minute vesicles, several of which are placed in 

 each inflated cell. 



This important genus contains the following species. Con- 

 ferva glomerata, C. crispata, C. flavescens, C. agagrojnla, C. 

 Brownii, and most probably the majority of the marine 

 branched Confervas usually associated with the genus Con- 

 ferva, as well as many of the unbranched marine species. 



I have omitted enumerating Conferva fracta and C. nigri- 

 cans as belonging to this genus, for I regard the first, as al- 

 ready stated, to be Conferva crispata in a state of reproduc- 

 tion ; and the latter 1 strongly suspect to be some aquatic 

 production, probably a Chara in a state of decay, of which I 

 found a considerable quantity on a recent visit to Wimbledon 

 Common, the locality from which Mr. Dixon [Dickson ?] 

 obtained his specimens, presenting much the appearance of a 

 Conferva. 



Fourthly and fifthly, into two genera characterized as be- 

 low, but which I shall leave for the present unnamed. 

 1st genus. Filaments very sparingly branched, slightly con- 

 tracted at the joints ; endochrome rarely filling the cells. 

 There is but one species which I am at present able to refer 

 to this genus, the Conferva ericetorum of Roth, a plant which, 

 in common with some other observers, I was long inclined to 

 regard as a Co?7Ji/gata and a member of the genus Mougeotia ; 

 however, the occasional presence of short branchlets seems 

 inconsistent with this opinion. 



2nd gen. Filaments nearly equal, dichotomously branched ; 

 endochrome contained in a small tube which passes through 

 the cells in a waved manner. 



2B 2 



