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THE MARINE ALGÆ OF NEW ENGLAND.
ultimate branches long, given off at wide angles; cells .02-3 mm in diameter, cell-wall
delicate, terminal cells blunt.
Staten Island, Beesley’s Point, New York Bay, Harvey; in pools, Newport, R. I.;
Europe. Summer.
Not yet observed north of Cape Cod. The species is recognized by forming dense tufts of a pale color and
almost spongy consistency. The sponginess, however, is not, as in the subgenus Spongomorpha, due to
the interlacing of short recurved branches and rhizoidal filaments, but to the fineness of the filaments,
which are densely twisted together. The cells do not vary much in diameter throughout. This species,
when dried, loses most of its color, and does not adhere well to paper.
C. REFRACTA, (Roth) Areschoug. (Non C. refracta, Alg. Danmon., No. 228, nec Phyc.
Brit., Pl. 24.)
Filaments rather rigid, forming tufts from 2-8 inches long, color a glaucous green;
branches flexuous, clothed throughout with nearly equal, short, frequently opposite
branchlets, which are at first patent and furnished with erect or corymbose,
afterwards reflexed, branchlets; cells .03-8 mm in diameter, terminal cells blunt.
Common in deep tide-pools and on stones and sea-weeds at low-water mark
throughout our limits. Spring and summer. Northern Europe.
We have refrained from quoting any synonyms in the description just given. The species, as we
understand it, is one common in rocky places where the water is pure. It forms rather short tufts of a
somewhat glaucous green, which is paler when the plant grows exposed to the sun. The branchlets,
which are in general short, are at first erect, but, as usually found, are somewhat corymbose and
ultimately decompound and reflexed. It is rather rigid and does not collapse when removed from the
water. In drying it sometimes retains its color, but usually becomes yellowish and does not adhere well
to paper. What we have described seems to be the C. refracta of Harvey’s Nereis, but we have refrained
from quoting the localities given by Harvey. The C. refracta of the French coast is considered by Le
Jolis to be a variety of C. albida. The same is not true of our species, which is certainly distinct from C.
albida. It may be that we have also the refracted variety of C. albida on our coast, but we have never
met with it. The present species is much coarser and differs in habit and ramification from the C.
albida of New England, which agrees well with European specimens. The American C. refracta is much
nearer to, if not identical with, the species published by Areschoug in the Algæ Scandinavicæ, 2d series,
No. 338, as C. refracta, (Roth). In coarseness it approaches C. lætevirens, but it certainly is not the same
as No. 143, Algæ Danmonienses, which Harvey considers to be C. lætevirens. In short, we think that
the C. refracta of New England is not the species to which the French botanists apply that name, but
probably the species of Areschoug. Whether it is really the Conferva refracta of Roth is a point on which
we can only follow the authority of others. At any rate, after the explanation given, the name can be
retained without causing greater confusion than has hitherto existed.
C. GLAUCESCENS, (Griff.) Harv. (Cl. glaucescens, Phyc. Brit., Pl. 196.—Cl. pseudosericea,
Crouan, Alg. Finist., No. 367.)
Filaments loosely tufted, 3-12 inches long, much branched, color light green;
branches erect, pectinate, ultimate branchlets elongated, erect,