224 ALG^E CHLOROSPERME.E. [Conferva. 



63. CONFERVA. Ag. Conferva. 



Filaments articulated, free, distinct, uniform, simple or branched. 

 Fruit (?) an internal, coloured, granular mass ( endochrome ) '. 

 Colour green, rarely purple or orange. Name, from confer- 

 ruminare, to consolidate. 



A. Filaments simple. 



a. Filaments decumbent, arachnoid, forming strata of a purple 



colour. Inhabit alpine bogs. 



1. C. ericetorum, Roth. Moor Conferva. Filaments very 

 slender, simple, forming a thin, dull, purple stratum ; articula- 

 tions a little longer than broad ; endochrome dark-coloured, 

 filling the tube finally, bipartite, unaltered in drying. Dillw. 

 Conf. t. 1. E. Bot. t. 1553. Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. v. ii. 

 p. 350. 



On dry heaths, frequent : occasionally in wet spots. 



2. C. purpurascens, Carm. Purple Conferva. Filaments 

 very slender, simple, forming a cloudy, floating, purple stratum ; 

 articulations once or twice as long as broad ; endochrome col- 

 lapsed, pale, rarely filling the tube. Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. 

 v. ii. p. 350. 



In old turf pits, bogs, &c. 



b. Filaments elongated, floating, rarely attached, flaccid, forming 



green strata. Inhabit fresh water. 



3. C. bombycina, Ag. Silky Conferva. Filaments exces- 

 sively fine, forming a cloudy, floating, yellow-green stratum ; 

 articulations 3 5 times longer than broad. Harv. in Hook. 

 Br. FL v. ii. p. 350. Conf. sordida, Dillw. t. 60. 



In stagnant waters, infesting aquatic plants. 



4. C. floccosa, Ag. Floccose Conferva. Filaments very fine, 

 forming pale-green floating strata ; articulations once or twice 

 as long as broad. Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. v. ii. p. 851. C.fu- 

 gacissima, Dillw. SuppL t. B. 



In ditches and pools, with the preceding. 



5. C. zonata, Webr. et Mohr. Banded Conferva. Filaments 

 unequal, forming bright-green lubricous masses; articulations 

 rather longer than broad, marked in the centre with a full- 

 green band. Ag. Syst. p. 90. Dillw. p. 41. t. 47. ( C. lubrica.J 

 Harv. in Hook. Br. Fl. v. ii. p. 351. 



On stones in rivulets. 



6. C. vesicata, Ag. Inflated Conferva. Filaments very 



