The English flora - SeaweedAfrica

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360 ALGJE CONFERVOIDE.E. [Mottgeotia*
Endochrcme granular, at length forming roundish globules at the
point of conjugation.—Named in honour of M. J. B. Mougeot,
an excellent German botanist, and one of the authors of the
useful " Stirpes Cryptogamce Vo&ego-Rhena7ice"
1. M. genvflexa, Ag. (knee-bent Moiigeotia); filaments slender
fragile, at length genufiexed and irregularly united by short
transverse tubes,
bules sphserical
endochrome half-filling the articulation, glo-
Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 83.— Conferva genvflexa,
Dillw. Cojif. t. 6.
In ditches and pools, very common ; forming vast yellowish-greenor
dull-yellow masses, often 30 feet in diameter.— Filaments very fragile;
endochrome at first filling the tubes ; but soon contracting into a longitudinal
fascia.
2. M. compression, Ag. {compressed Mougeotid); filaments
very fragile curved irregularly united by transverse tubes, endochrome
compressed, globules sphserical. Ag. Syst. Alg. J9.83.
—Zygnema compressum, Lyngb. Hydroph. Dan. t. 58.
In pools and ditches ; near Appin, Capt. Carmichael.— Habit of the
preceding; "filaments about as thick as those of Zygnema quininum,
and remarkably fragile, flying asunder in single joints, which then become
more or less curved ; articulations 3—6 times as long as broad. The
internal mass, occupying about two-thirds of the articulation, is collapsed
or compressed, appearing, when its edge is presented to the eye, as a
slender line running through the centre of the filament. Sporidia glo-
bular, lodged in the dilated transverse tubes."
—
Carpi. MSS. This acute
naturalist further remarks, " I am disposed to believe that each articu-
lation of this species, if not of the whole genus, is a complete plant; in
other words, that a filament is a chain of individuals, cohering somewhat
in the manner of the genus Sal])a among the Mollasca. In this point of
view only, can I account for what I have often remarked, the junction
of two articulations and the formation of a sporidium after they had
been detached from their respective filaments. The inosculation of
these simde joints takes place in the most capricious manner, sometimes
it is central, at others, the end of one joint is presented to the centre of
the other, or they meet end to end forming a right, an acute or an obtuse
angle." Carm. MSS.
3. M. ccerulesce?is, Ag. (blueish Mougeotia); filaments slender
fragile inosculating without tubes genufiexed, globules green
cruciform. Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 83 Conferva cceridesce?is, E. Bot.
t. 2457.
Pools and ditches, rare. Boggy pool on Henfield Common, Sussex,
Mr. Borrer. Appin, Capt. Carmichael.— " Where this plant occurs in
a quantity and unmixed with Conferva?, it forms a greyish cloud in the
water. Filaments extremely slender; articulations 5— 6 times as long
as broad, filled with a blueish fluid, through which passes a slightly spiral
line of granules, joining without the intervention of transverse
tubes, generally breaking off in pairs and then assuming the form of a
cross, connected by the central cruciform sporidium." Carm. MSS.