180 Ulothricaceae 



Conferva fugacissima Roth, Cat. Bot. i : 176. 1797. (?) 

 Wolle, F. W. Alg. 141. pi. 120. f 10-12. 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 Triboncma bom- 

 bycinum. 



Microspora abbreviata (Rabenh.) Lagerh. Ber. Deutsch. 

 Bot. Gesell. 5: 417. 1887. 



The figures of Conferva abbreviata given by Wolle (F. W. Alg. 

 pi. 121. f 18, iq. 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 Tribonema 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 Kiitz. (Spec. Alg. 371. 

 1849) w i tn C. ochracea Kutz. (Phyc. Germ. 202. 1845), and out 

 of Rabenhorst's specimen of C. affinis abbreviata Kutz. (Alg. 

 Sachs, in. 185 1) 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 Kiitzing's description. 



The disposition of these names made by Wille is doubly un- 

 tenable according to American rules : in the first place, Conferva 

 ociiracea Kiitz. cannot stand in view of the earlier C. ochracea Roth 

 (Cat. Bot. I : 165. 1797), and secondly, Conferva abbreviata 

 (Rabenh.) Wille cannot be retained in the face of Conferva abbre- 

 viata Kiitz. (Tab. Phyc. 3: 14. pi. 4.2. 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. 



Microspora punctalis (Dillw.) Rabenh. Krypt. Flor. Sachs. 

 I: 245. 1863; Flor. Eur. Alg. 3 : 321. 1868. 



Conferva p7tnctalis Dill wyn, Brit. Conferv. pi. 57. 1805. Kiitz. 

 Spec. Alg. 370. 1849. Wolle, F. W. Alg. 142. //. 121. f 20, 

 21. 1887. Not Mueller, Nov. Act. Acad. Sci. Imp. Petrop. 3 : 

 90. pi. 1. f 1. 1788. 



See Microspora quadrat a. 



