The English flora - SeaweedAfrica

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36^ ALGM CONFERVOIDE.E. [Trentepohlia.
very short heaped together fragile moniliform slightly branched,
branches simple subulate spine-like divaricate, articulations
rather shorter than broad, joints contracted.
On Yews, at Cleish Castle, Kinross-shire, Mr. Arnvtt.— (i This singular
plant resembles none other that I know. It is found only on Yew-
trees : these are of great age, and have, in general, near the root a very irregular
outline, exhibiting deep cracks or clefts : from these fissures exudes
the juice of the tree; this soon afterwards thickens and becomes covered
with a soft filamentous substance that might be mistaken for Racodium
cdlare or rather R. vulgare, Fries, if indeed it has not been frequently passed
over for that plant. Such is its first state. The sap of the tree continues
to flow through the plant, which also increases in size and thickness, at
last becoming a firm corky almost hemisphaerical substance, losing nearly
all trace of the filamentous surface, and slightly resembling specimens
of Sphceria deusta; presenting like them, when broken, though generally
very indistinctly, the appearance of concentric layers, which, from the
observations 1 have made, mark pretty nearly the number of years the
specimen has been in forming. This I have no doubt is caused by the
inspissation, at the close of each season, of the sap of the tree absorbed
by the parasite. I may add, that when well dried, this species takes
fire very readily from a spark, and burns like tinder." Am. in lilt.
81. Trentepohlia. Ag. Trentepohlia.
Filaments minute, tufted, erect, coloured, articulated; dissepiments
hyaline. Fruit ; tufted, terminal capsules—Named in
honour of" a German botanist The species inhabit fresh water
or marine rocks and caverns.
1. O. purpurea, Ag. (purple Trentepohlia^); filaments erect
very minute forming continuous velvetty patches slightly
branched, branches dichotomous, articulations twice as long as
broad. Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 36. Conferva jmrpurea, Dilhv. Conf.
t. 43.
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Byssus purpurea, Light/.—E. Bot. t. 192.
On rocks and stones, near the sea. Icolumbkill, Lighffoot. Anglesea,
Rev. H. Davies. In a cavern at Swansea, Dillw. Abundant in Fingal's
cave, Stafta, W. H. Harvey— This forms exceedingly thin undefined
patches, of a dull purple colour, resembling a* mere stain on the
surface of the rock. The filaments are scarcely a line high and very
sparingly branched. It has many points in common with Calithamnion
Rothii, and I am almost inclined to think it may be that species, altered
by growing in situations where it is only occasionally wet with salt
water.
2. T. pulchella, Ag. (beautiful Trentejwhlia); filaments virgate
tufted much branched, branches erect alternate beset with short
opposite or secund ramuli, articulations four times as long as
broad, capsules racemose. Ag. Syst. Alg. p. 37. Conferva
nana, Dillw. Conf. t. 30, (according to authentic specimens).
E. But. t. 2585. j3. chalybea, Ag.— Conf. chalybea, Dillw. Conf.
t. 94 C. corymbifera, E. Bot. t. 1666./ 1.
&c.
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In mountain-streams ; growing on the naked rock, or on aquatic mosses,
Filaments one-eighth to one-half of an inch long; forming fine
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