H a b . In the sea, attached to rocks and tlie larger Algce, producing
fructification only in summer. Annual. Abundant at Sidmouth and
many parts of the coasts of Devonshire and Cornwall, Mrs Griffiths.
Plymouth, Miss Hill. Exmouth, Sir Thomas Frankland. Torquay.
Root creeping, composed of cylindrical branched pink fibres. Fronds,
numerous from the same root, three to twelve inches in length, linear,
or very naiTow linear-lanceolate, cylindrical and filiform at the base, very
gradually dilating into a flat frond, one to four lines wide in the broadest
par t. Sometimes the frond is only divided into a few nearly simple elongated
branches, given oft' near the base, in a manner between dichotomous
and pinnate. At other times the main branches are numerous, more
or less closely pinnatifid with others of various lengths (from one to
six inches), which, in their turn, often bear one or two other series.
All the divisions are linear or linear-lanceolate, and invariably attenuated
at their origin. The margin and also the disk produce linear processes,
commonly one to three lines in length. Fructification ; 1.
hemispherical capsules about the size of poppy seed, containing ovate
seeds; aud, 2. granides (ternate?) all situated in the ciliary processes.
Substance soft and flaccid, adhering to paper in drying, and becoming
darker. Colour a dull rather pinkish red.
Mrs Griffiths has the merit of clearly ascertaining the distinctness of
this species, by pointing out the flaccid substance, so different from
that of the preceding, and the important fact, that the one is a summer,
the other a winter plant. To these characteristics may be added another
: the granules in R. ciliata invariably occupy the surface of the
frond itself ; while in R. jubata they invariably occupy the cilice.
When the former is in perfect fructification, the young plants of the
latter are only just making their appearance, so that the two species
can hardly be said to even exist at the same time.
This plant is extremely sportive in its mode of growth. The ciliæ
are sometimes so numerous, both at the margin and on the surface, as
to crowd each other, and produce a singularly bristly or fringed appearance.
In some specimens, especially tbe larger and more luxuriant
ones, the branches, and even the ciliæ, have a tendency to elongate
themselves into slender filiform tendrils, hooked or spirally curled at
the end. In other cases, the ciliæ change into simple filiform ramuli,
nearly an inch in length ; or, not unfrequently, they become compound,
dividing into two to five divaricated spinous segments, which give the
frond quite a prickly character.
The capsules are very rare ; the only specimen I have seen producing
them, was found at Plymouth hy Miss Hill. The granules occur
constantly.
8. R h o d o m e n i a p a l m a t a .
Frond membranaceous or slightly coriaceous palmated the margins
entire the segments oblong mostly simple, ternate granules forming
cloud-like spots over the whole frond.
Halymenia palmata, Ag. S p . Alg. v . 1. p . 204. S y s t. A lg . p . 242. S p r e n g . S p . P I . v . 4. p . S B .
Delesseria palmata, L a in o u r . E s s a i, p . 37-
Fucus palmatus, L in n . S p . P I . v . 2. p . 1630. T u r n . S y n . F u c . p . 175» H is t. F u c . 1 . 115.
S m . E n g . B o t. t. 1306. L ig h t f . F I . S c o t. v . 2. t . 2? . H o o k , i n F I . L o n d . n ew S e rie s ,
w i th a f ig u r e , t h e a n a ly s e s in c o r r e c t.
Viva palmata, L y n g b . H y d r o p h . D a n . p . 24. G r e v . F I . E d in . p . 298.
Var. /3 sarniensis, f r o n d la c in ia te d , th e s e gm e n ts l in e a r , t h e u p p e rm o s t o n e s v e ry n a r row .
Fucus safniensis, M e r t. in R o th . C a t. B o t. v . 3. p . 1 0 3 .1 . 1 ., a c c o rd in g to A g a rd h . T u r n .
H is t. F u c . t . 44.
H a b . On rocks and the larger Algce in the sea. Annual or biennial.
In the winter months. Extremely common.
Root scutate. Fronds solitary or clustered, three to twelve inches
in length, and half an inch to two inches in width, flat, entire at the
margin, more or less cleft in a palmate manner. The general outline
of the whole either elliptical or wedge-shaped. The segments are
mostly simple and oblong or linear-oblong, but they are sometimes
again shortly cleft at the apex, which gives them a wedge-shaped form.
The variety g is much branched and divided and laciniated, some of
the branches a quarter of an inch, but many less than a line in width.
Fructification, as far as we are acquainted with it, composed of spherical
ternate granules, half imbedded in the surface of the frond, and
forming irregular cloud-like spots. Substance between membranaceous
and coriaceous, semitransparent. Colour a purplish-red : the young
fronds with a pinker tinge, sometimes almost rose-red. While rather
young, the substance is very thin, slightly lubricous, and adheres to
paper in drying, but not when in fructification.
The structure of the frond and the nature of the fructification, induce
me to remove this plant far from Iridoea edidis, with which it
has usually been contrasted and associated. It is most probable that
the capsular mode of fructification remains to be discovered upon it.
It has indeed already been detected by Professor Mertens, should his
Fucus sarniensis prove the same as Mr Turner’s, which is certainly nothing
more than a variety. It is much to bo regretted, as Mr Dawson
Turner remarks, that he should have confined himself to describing the