and in old plants woody, expanding at the top into a flat frond, one to
five feet or more long, and nine inches to two feet or more wide ; in
its general outline ohlong, roundish, flahelliform or somewhat reniform,
cleft deeply into an uncertain numher of segments, half an inch to two
inches in width. Fructification, according to Mr Borrer, in “ English
Botany,” linear-ohlong, vertical seeds forming dense irregular
thickened patches on the surface of the frond.
Substance between cartilaginous and coriaceous, of considerable
thickness. Colour olivaceous-brown. In drying it becomes darker,
much thinner, somewhat transparent, and does not adhere to paper.
M. Bory de St Vincent describes two new species, which he affirms
to have been confounded with L. digitata. The first, L. palmata, is
much larger, according to him, than the true L. digitata, the stem
much longer, and the frond dilated and reflected backward, as it were,
on each side the stem. The second species, L. cónica, is chiefly characterised
by the conical outline of the frond. L. digitata he describes
as having a short stem. These new species, if really distinct, probably
occur on our own coasts, as well as on those of France ; but the
experience I have had in these plants tends to render me very sceptical
about them. The length of the stem depends greatly upon the
situation and age of the specimen. The same causes likewise influence
the form and magnitude of the frond. On the coast of Sidmouth I
traced this species from the length of a few lines to many feet, and had
occasion to remark how much variation existed. In its young state,
L. digitata is entire, ovato-lanceolate, sometimes almost linear, and I
have specimens in my possession even eighteen inches in length, without
any division; these very fronds, however, in the course of a few
months, become either cordate or reniform at the base, and vary prodigiously
in the length and number of the segments. L. phycoden-
dron, leptopoda, stenoloba, and platyloba of La Pylaie, may be nothing
more than varieties ; but with the scanty information that he has
given us in the Anuales des Sciences Naturelles, it is quite impossible
to form an opinion.
L. digitata possesses the power of renewing its frond, hut it is
doubtful whether this process takes place in all individuals. I have
frequently found specimens with an old and new frond, of equal size,
attached to each other by a narrow neck ; the old one cleft to the
base, dark and coriaceous, the new one entire, or just beginning to
split, hut the segments still cohering at the base of the old one, the
texture thin, and of a much paler colour. Mr Dawson Turner mentions
the same circumstance as having come under his own observation.
In England, this species is known by the name of Sca-girdles. In
Scotland, where the tender stalks of the young fronds are eaten, and still
cried about the streets of Edinlrargh, it is called Tangle. In Orkney it
is known as Red-ware, and, according to Mr Neill, it is the Stai-mhara
or Sea-wand of the Scots Highlanders. Bishop Gunner mentions, that
the fronds and stems of young plants are boiled, and given to the cattle
in Nordland. On many parts of the British coast, it is collected and
thrown in heaps, and in a putrescent state extensively used as a manure.
The dried stalks serve the inhabitants of the Orkney and Shetland Isles,
and the coast of Brittany, for fuek “ In Scotland,” relates my friend Mr
Neill, “ the stems are sometimes put to rather an unexpected use,—the
making of knive-handles. A pretty thick stem is selected, and cut into
pieces about four inches long : into these, while fresh, are stuck blades
of knives, such as gardeners use for pruning and grafting. As the stem
dries it contracts and hardens, closely and firmly embracing the hilt of
the blade. In the course of some months the handles become quite
firm, and very hard and shrivelled, so that when tipt with metal, they
are hardly to he distinguished from hartshorn.”
2. L a m in a r ia b u l b o s a .
Stem plane, with a waved foliaceous margin, once twisted at the
base, arising from a large rough roundish hollow bulb, frond roundish,
oblong or reniform, cleft deeply into numerous segments,
Laminaria bulbosa, L am o u r . E s s a i, p . 22. L y n g b . H y d r o p h . D a n . p . 20. Ag . S p . A lg .
V. 1. p . 114. S y s t. A lg . p . 271. S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . 325.
Fucus bulbosus, H u d s . F I . A n g . p . 579. T u r n . S y n . F u c . t . 161. S m . E n g . C o t. t . 1760.
Fucus polyschides, L ig h t f . F I . S c o t. p . 936. S t a c k h . N e r . B r i t . t. 4.
H a b . In 'the sea, mostly in deep water. Perennial. Shores of
Cornwall every where, Hudson. Rocks about the Isle of Portland,
Pulteney. Dover, washed ashore after storms, Dillwyn. Near Torquay,
Mrs Griffiths. Sidmouth. Iona, Lightfoot. Washed ashore on
all the islands of the Minch, Mr Neill. Lossiemouth, Mr Brodie.
Bantry Bay, Miss Hutchins. Larne, near Belfast, Dr Drummond.
Plant, in the young state, a simple undivided frond, a few inches in
length, and about two inches in width, with a short filiform stem, furnished
near the base with a small knot or dilatation, the root at the
extremity composed of a few fibres. In this state, the minute tufts of
filaments proceeding from the pores whicli are scattered over the sur