Bot. Pl. confervæ. [L. conferva, some kind of water plant with healing virtues mentioned by Pliny, perh. comfrey.]
A genus of plants originally constituted by Dillenius, and then made to contain many heterogeneous species of filamentous cryptogams; now restricted to certain fresh-water Green Algæ (Chlorophyllæ), composed of simple (i.e., unbranched) many-celled filaments, and reproduced by zoospores. One of the most familiar species is popularly known as Crow-silk.
[1640. J. Parkinson, Theatr. Bot., 1261. Pliny hath recorded that he knew of one cured incredible quickly, with his Conferva.]
1757. Ellis, in Phil. Trans., L. 285. It appears to be a geniculated red conferva.
1830. Lyell, Princ. Geol., I. 207. The banks … are every where covered with reeds, lichen, confervæ, and various kinds of aquatic vegetables.
1854. Hooker, Himal. Jrnls., I. xvi. 371. The rocks … were covered with a red conferva.
1882. Vines, Sachs’ Bot., 355. Air-cavities, from the bottom of which the cells containing chlorophyll spring in a conferva-like manner.
