130 
CRYPTOGAMIA. ALGiE. Conferva 
Consists of numerous filaments hardly half inch in length, closely matted 
together at the base from whence they diverge sometimes in a circular 
direction. Joints very numerous. Colour muddy yellow or brown. 
Velley. The filaments of nearly equal thickness, diaphanous, not pro¬ 
perly jointed, but with numerous partitions across them. 
(Simple Matted Conferva. E.) In the sea in the spring, upon Fucus 
nodosus and F. vesiculosus, first found, described, and figured by Major 
Velley. (On the Yorkshire coast. Sir T. Frankland. On Marine rocks 
near Scarborough. Mr. Travis. E.) 
C. coral/lina. Threads forked, white; joints purplish, thicker at the 
end: branches acute. 
( Dillw . 98— E. Bot. 1815. E.)— Ellis in Ph. Tr. lviii. f. F. at p. 426— Bill. 
6. 36. 
Of a fine scarlet when fresh. Fructifications in whirls at the ends of the 
joints. Ellis. Slippery, very tender, whitish, or fine red; always dividing 
and subdividing into forks; almost vanishes in the attempt to dry it. 
Dill. Consists of many branches, equal in size, and breaking into sub¬ 
divisions, sometimes five or six inches high. When young it is composed 
of very pale green transparent fibres; as it approaches towards maturity 
the septa appear more distinct, the joints become more rounded, and 
replete with a scarlet liquor, which in a short time oozes through the 
tender skin, but it shows its joints very distinctly even after the discharge 
of this liquor. A very singular instance of irritability appeared in this 
plant upon immersing it when quite recent, in fresh water. After it had 
been in the water a few minutes, several fibres were observed to move in 
an horizontal direction with a quick convulsive twitch, then to stop 
suddenly. This they continued to do for some length of time. I repeated 
this experiment several times, and the same effect was produced, pro¬ 
vided the plant Avas fresh. At first I attributed it to a separation of air 
from between the joints of the Conferva, but this ought to have been 
seen rising to the surface of the water. I tried the experiment in salt 
water, but did not observe the same effect. Major Velley. 
(Coralline Conferva. E.) Clgenicidata. Ellis ib. p. 425. ( Griffithsia 
corallina. Hook. E.) Stones and rocks in the sea. On stones at Cock- 
bush, on the Sussex coast, and on the Isle of Inys y Much, near Bangor. 
Dill. Near Brighthemstone, Sussex. Ellis. Very frequent near Wey¬ 
mouth. Mr. Stackhouse. A. May—Oct. 
(C. ro'sea. Rose-coloured, repeatedly branched, very slender and 
tufted; articulations pellucid, a little contracted: capsules 
sessile, obovate, lateral, leaning one way. 
Bill. 11—E. Bot. 966. 
Severa stems, an inch or two long, grow from a small round shield-like 
base. Articulations exquisitely pellucid and colourless. Capsules 
numerous ; becoming dark purple with age. E. Bot. 
Rose-coloured Confer\ t a. Ceram,ium roseum. Roth. Agard. Hook. On 
fallen sticks in the woods at Woodhall, near Edinburgh. Mr. Brown. E.) 
P. Jan.—Dec. 
This singularly elegant and novel species was first observed in Britain by 
Mr. Sowerby, growing in dense tufts upon Fucus vesiculosus by the river 
side at Yarmouth. E.) 
