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FUCUS veficulofus.
Bladder Fucus.
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CRYPT0GAM1A Alga.
G e n . C h a r . Seeds produced in cluttered tubercles,
which burft at their fummits.
S p e c . C h a r . Frond linear, dichotomous, entire, with
a central rib, and furniftied with feveral globofe
imbedded air-bladders : extremities cloven, tumid
when in fructification.
Syn. Fucus veficulofus. Linn. Sp. PI. 162,6 . Gooden,
and Wnodw. Tr. of Linn. Soc. v. 3. 144. Turn.
Syn. 117. Hudf. 576. With .v. 4.84. Hull.% 19.
F. five Alga marina latifolia vulgatiflima. Rail Syn. 40.
w E cannot but agree with Dr. Goodenough, Mr. Woodward
and Mr. Turner in reducing Fucus divaricatus, inflatus
and fpiralis of Linnaeus, as well as volubilis of Hudfon (not
of Linnaeus), to the common veficulofus; and Mr. Turner has
juftly added the linearis of Hudfon, as well as fome other
varieties, or different ftates, of the fame plant. The whole
fubjedt, too extenfive for us here to enter upon, will be found
fully illuftrated in the Synopfis of Britifh Fuci juft publifhed,
to which we beg leave to refer our readers.
F. veficulofus is found on every fhore, either growing on
rocks and ftones, or caft up on the beach. Its brown colour
and leathery texture, with the longitudinal rib, nearly agree
with F. J,erratus and ceranoides; but the globular cellular air-
bladders, imbedded in its fubftance between the membranes
of the frond, form its diftinguifhing charadteriftic.
When thefe bladders coalefce into a heart-fhaped figure at
the forks of the frond, that circumftance conftitutes the F. divaricatus
; when they are large and oblong they mark the inflatus,
fee Plant. Ic. ex Herb. Linn. t. 7 5 . The feeds grow in
the ovate, cloven, tumid, paler or yellowifh extremities of the
frond.
This fea-weed is ufeful for manure, and is burnt into an impure
alkaline fait called help, ufed in making foap and glafs.