: f,
i ii'
2. F u cu s C E R A N O ID E S .
Frond coriaceo-membranaceous flat midribbed linear entire at the
margin without vesicles, the fertile branches lateral spreading narrower
repeatedly divided in a flabelliform manner, receptacles terminal
linear-acuminate nearly cylindrical.
Fucus ceranoides, L in n . S p . P I . p . 1626. T u r n . S y n . F u c . p . 136. H is t. F u c . t . 89. L am o u r .
E s s a i, p . 18. Sm . E n g . B o t. t . 2115. L y n g b . H y d ro p h . D a n . p . 5. A g . S p . A lg . v . 1.
p . 93. S y s t. A lg . p . 277- G r e v . F I . E d in . p . 284. S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . 315.
H a b . Sea shores. Perennial. Spring and summer. Coast o f Hamp-
shire, Goodenough. Shoreham, Turner. Anglesea, Rev. H. Davies.
Fawy River, near St Winnoe, Mr E. Forster junior. Swanage and
Poole, Pulteney. Larne, near Belfast, Dr Drummond. Near the
Castle of Aros, in Mull, Messrs Turner and Hooker. Brodick Bay,
in An-an, Hooker. Loch of Stenhouse, Orkney, Rev. C. Clouston.
Frith of Forth, near Cramond, Mr Maughan. Loch Long. Loch
Fine. Isle of Bute.
Root a hard disk. Frond six to twenty inches long, two to four
lines broad, several times dichotomous, but in a very unequal and irregular
manner, bifid or palmate at the summit of the sterile branches,
the surface dotted with minute pores (as in F. vesiculosus) from which
issue minute tufts of white filaments. Fructification produced on lateral
branches given off alternately from the main divisions of the
frond, spreading, narrower than the main divisions, much branched in
a radiating or fan-like manner. These fertile branches are two to four
inches long at the bottom, but become shorter towards the extremity
of the frond. Receptacles half an inch to an inch in length, solitary or
in pairs.
Substance between membranaceous and coriaceous. Colour olivaceous
green, often tinged with red or yellow. In drying it becomes
black, and does not adhere to paper.
The description here given, will, I hope, be sufficient to distinguish
this species at once from the preceding one. I may add, however,
that it is far less tough, much thinner and more transparent, in every
part, both in the growing and the dried state. The midrib is finer
and more clearly defined. The base of the frond is often composed
for several inches of nothing but tlie midrib, stripped of the foliaceous
part, and looking like a slender filiform stem. It is very frequently
found growing upon stones, with the lower part buried in sand, gravel
or mud. Occasionally the sterile extremities of the frond become inflated
with air in the same manner as F. vesiculosus. The practical
botanist is well aware that the whole plant dries under pressure in
half the time that the species last mentioned requires to part with its
moisture.
3. F u cu s SERRATUS.
Frond flat midribbed serrated at the margin, receptacles flat solitary
terminating the branches of which they are simply continuations.
Fucus serratus, L in n . S p . P I . p . 1626. S t a c k h . N e r . B r i t . t . 1. T u r n . S y n . F u c . p . 110.
H i s t . F u c . t . 90. L am o u r . E s s a i, p . 19. S m . E n g . B o t. t . 1221. L y n g b . H y d r o p h .
D a n . p . 5. t . 1. A g . S p . A lg . v . 1. p . 95. S y s t. A lg . p . 278. G r e v . F I. E d in . p . 284.
S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . 316.
H a b . Sea shores. Perennial. Winter and spring. Frequent on
most parts of the British coast.
Root a hard disk. Frond two to six feet long, half an inch to two
inches broad, regularly dichotomous, and totally destitute of vesicles,
the margin serrated. Receptacles merely a thickened prolongation of
the frond, one to three inches in length, in which the tubercles are
immersed. The surface of the frond abounds in the same minute pores
with tufts of white filaments that exist in the two preceding species.
Substance very tough and coriaceous. Colour dark olivaceous
green. In drying it'changes to black, and does not adhere to paper.
Mr Dawson Turner has described two varieties: the first, named
integerrimus, has the marginal serratures nearly obsolete; the margin,
however, is still hardly sufficiently entire to admit of the plant being
mistaken, even when out of fruit, for F. vesiculosus. This variety
abounds on the Chit Rocks at Sidmouth. The second variety is
named latifolius, having the upper branches as wide again as the
lower ones, so as to render them rounded at the end, and elliptical-
ovate. I have specimens of this from the Isle of Bute, with the upper
branches two and a half inches broad even after having been dried.
A third very striking variety I have also gathered in the Isle of Bute,
which may be named laciniatus. The serratures are narrow, two or
three lines long or more, and cleft or laciniate, the lacinite being often
quite subulate.
In some parts of Scotland this species has received the names of
Black Wrack and Prickly Tang. Compared with F. vesiculosus, it
is unproductive in the manufacture of kelp. The Norwegians mix
it with meal, and feed their cattle with it. It is a very handsome species,
especially the broad variety.