FUCUS PALMATUS. PALMATED FUCUS, OR DULSE.
FUCUS palmatus ; fronde coriaceo-membranacea, plana* enervi, palmata, integerrima ; segmentis ob-
longis, simpliciusculis ; seminibus nudis, in maculas latas informes congestis, ubique per fron-
deni sparsis.
FUCUS palmatus. Linn. Sp. PI. p. 1630. Huds. Fl. Ariel, ». 579• L ig h tf. Scot. p. 933. t. 9.7.
Woodw. in L inn. Trans, vol. 3. p. 163. Gunn. Fl. Nom. vol. 2. p. 69. Turn. Syn. Fuc.
vol. \.p . 175. Engl. Bot. t. 1306. Turn. Hist. Fuc. vol. 2 .p . 116. t. 115.. Ner. B rit.
p. 54. t. 12.
FUCUS ovinus. Gunn. Fl. N o rv .p . 96.
ULYA palmata. With. Bot. A rr. cd. 4. vol. 4. fi. 121. Decand. Fl. Fr. ed. 3. vol. 2. ». 12. Fl. Gall.
■%»•/'• 3.
DELESSERIA palmata. Lamouroux in Ann. du Mus. vol. 20.p . 125.
FUCUS membranaceus ceranoides. Rail Syn.p. 46.
Class and Order. CRYPTOGAMIA ALGÆ.
[N atural Order. ALGÆ. Juss. Decand,']
G EN. Char. Semind tuberculis confertis apicé dehiscentibus innata.
Radix exigua, cal la, discoidea.
Frondes solitariæ vel plerumque plurimæ ex eadem
radice, basi angustæ, subcylindraceæ, dein com-
pressæ, expanso-'pîanæ, glabræ, coriaceo-mem-
branaceæ, vel etiam in junioribus plantis omnino
membranaceæ, ôblongæ, apicem versus sensim
latiores,palmatæ, segmentis varie divisis vel in-
tegris, undulatæ, nervo destitytoe; marginê intè-'
gerrimoj sæpe proliferis, foliqlis éllipticis, intëgris
et ’divisis, subpetiolatis. Color rubens, sæpe
purpureo vel lutescente variegatus.
Fructificatio in maculas latas, granulis numero-
sissimis minutissimis, pellucidis formatas, per
totam fere frondem absque ordine disposita:
Semina sparsa, ôvato-rotundata, subangulata,
rubescentia.
Root small, callous, discoid.
Fronds solitary, or for the most part numerous from
the same root,' narrow at the base, Siibcylindri-
cal, then compressed, expanded, flat, smooth, co-
riaceo-membranaceous, or even in the younger
plants altogether membranaceous, .oblong, towards
thè apex gradually wider, .palmate,, with
the segments variously divided or entire, waved,
destitute of a nerve, the margin entire, often proliferous,
with elliptical leaflets which are entire
or divided, and subpetiolate. Colour reddish,
often varied with purple or a yellowish tint.
Fructification disposed without order in large spots
throughout nearly the whole frond, formed of
numerous, very minute, pellucid granules : Seeds
scattered, ovato-rotundate, somewhat angulate,
reddish.
Fig. 1. Portion of the Frond magnified to show the disposition of the seeds. Fig. 2. The same, more highly magnified.
Fig. 3. Seeds removed from the frond, magnified.
This is a very abundant speciès on the shores of the British Isles, throughout the northern ocean, and even
about Kamtschatka.
Like the rest o f the Fuci, this plant is subject to no small degree of variation in its appearance; yet, as Mr.
Turner (from whom we shall have no, hesitation in extracting largely in all that concerns this tribe of plants) observes,
it is a species so well known that i t has seldom if ever been mistaken for any other. To me the fructification
has always appeared that of an Ulva; but Messrs Goodenough and Woodward have observed “ on dwarf
coriaceous specimens the true fructification, which is tubercules immersed in the frond, and projecting- from it,
and opening at the point.”
As an article of food this species is well known. On various parts of the coast o f Scotland I have seen the
natives in a season of scarcity gathering it from the rocks, and in a raw state making a meal of it. In the highlands
it is known by the name of Duilliosg, ,in the lowlands by that of Dulse; under which name it is commonly
cried about the streets of Edinburgh. In the Isle of Skye, Lightfoot says it is sometimes used in fevers to promote
perspiration, being boiled in water with the addition of a little butter. The Norwegians call it Sou-soil “ quia ovibus
gratissimus,” as Gunner tells u s ; whence he has given it the name of F. ovinus. But he has also noticed it as the
true F. palmatus of Linnams, the Nave-sdll, and Söttsóll of the Norwegians; and says it is eaten by men and cattle.
In the Feroe Islands, Landt describes it as the Sol of the natives, which they eat raw, rarely roasted, though it is
said then to have a better taste. The Irish call it Dillesk, and wash it in fresh water and dry it in the sun before
they use it. This is similar to the method employed by the Icelanders, as related in the “ Tour in Iceland
They wash it well in clean water, and expose it on the rocks or on the ground to dry, when it gives out a whitish powdery
substance (whence it has been called Alga saccharifera by Biarne Povelsen) which covers the whole plant,
and is sweet and agreeable to the palate. I t is then packed down in casks to keep it from the air, and is preserved
in this state ready to be used, either raw with fish and butter, or boiled down with milk to a thick consistency, as is
more common with people of property, who mix with it, if it can be afforded, a little flour of rye.
I t is said likewise that the inhabitants of thè Greek Archipelago eat this plant raw, or added to ragouts, olios,
and suchlike dainties, to which it gives a réd colour, and, dissolving, renders them thick and gelatinous.
When moist, F. palmatus gives out a faint smell of violets.
FUCUS EDULIS. RED LEATHERY FUCUS.
FUCUS edulis; fronde coriaceo-carnosa, plana, enervi,cuneiformi, simplice, integerrima, apice rotundata,
basi in petiolum brevem teretem attenuata ; seminibus in globulis intra frondem congestis.
FUCUS edulis. Stackh. N er. B r it.p . 57. t. 12. With. Bot. A rr. ed. 3. vol. 4. p. 122. Turn. Syn. Fuc.
vol. l.p . 180. Turn. Hist. Fuc. vol. 2. p. 111. t. 114. Engl. B ot. 1 .1307.
FUCUS dulcis. Gmel. Hist. Fuc.p. 189. t. 86.
FUCUS Lactuca. Esp. Ic. Fuc. vol. 1. p. 129. t. 64.
FUCUS carnosus. Schmid. Ite r .p . 76. Esp. Ic . Fuc. vol. l.p . 150. t. 76,
FUCUS palmatus/3. Lig h tf. Scot. vol. 2. p. 935.
DELESSERIA edulis. Lamouroux in Ann. du Mus. vol. 20. p. 125.
ULVA ediilis. Decand. Fl. F r. ed. 3. vol. 2 .p . 12. Fl. Gall. Syn. p. 3.
(For Class and Order and Gen. Char, see F. palmatus.)
Radix calla, expansa, plana. I Root callous, expanded, flat.
Frondes plerumque plurimæ ex eadem radice, palma- Fronds generally many from the same root, a span or
res et ultra, cunéiformes, plante, coriaceo-camo- more in height, wedge-shaped, plane, between