180 ULOTHRICACEAE 
Conferva fugacissima Roth, Cat. Bot. 1: 176. 1797. (?) 
Wolle, F. W. Alg. 141. pl. 120. f. 70-72. 1887. 
There is also very great doubt as to the true character of this 
form which, like most ancient species, has received a varied treat- 
ment. Mr. Wolle's specimens may be referred to Zrzbonema bom- 
bycinum. 
MICROSPORA ABBREVIATA (Rabenh.) Lagerh. Ber. Deutsch. 
Bot. Gesell. 5: 417. 1887. ۱ 
The figures of Conferva abbreviata given by Wolle (F. W. Alg. 
pl. 121. f. 18, rg. 1887), like most of his illustrations of this 
genus, do not give any particular assistance in elucidating his 
notion of the species. Specimens in his herbarium bearing this 
name are identifiable as 7rzbonema bombycinum, hence his record 
may be disregarded. 
This species is in such a state of confusion in European litera- 
ture that it is difficult to know just how to dispose of it. Wille 
(81) united Conferva affinis abbreviata Kitz. (Spec. Alg. 371. 
1849) with C. ochracea Kütz. (Phyc. Germ. 202. 1845), and out 
of Rabenhorst's specimen of C. affinis abbreviata Kitz. (Alg. 
Sachs. zzz. 1851) made a new species, C. abbreviata (Rabenh.) 
Wille. This last name was transferred to Microspora by Lager- 
heim. DeToni combines both Wille's sets of synonyms under 
Lagerheim's name, but with Kützing's description. 
The disposition of these names made by Wille is doubly un- 
tenable according to American rules: in the first place, Conferva 
ochracea Kütz. cannot stand in view of the earlier C. ochracea Roth 
(Cat. Bot. 1: 165. 1797), and secondly, Conferva abbreviata 
(Rabenh.) Wille cannot be retained in the face of Conferva abbre- 
viata Kitz. (Tab. Phyc. 3: 14. pl. 42. f. 8. 1853). 
The final disposition of these forms is a matter which can 
hardly be determined on this side of the Atlantic, and perhaps it 
is not a matter that concerns American algology. 
MicRosPOoRA PUNCTALIS (Dillw.) Rabenh. Krypt. Flor. Sachs. 
I: 245. 1863; Flor. Eur. Alg. 3: 321. 1868. 
Conferva punctalis Dillwyn, Brit. Conferv. ad 57. 1805. Kütz. 
Spec. Ale 370. 1849. Wolle, F. W. Alg. 142. o rar f. 20, 
27. 1887. Not Mueller, Nov. Act. Acad. Sci. Imp. Petrop. 3: 
9x NB. T. fI. 1788. 
See Microspora quadrata. 
