SLg / [ 1306 1
FUCUS palmatus.
Red Palmate Fucus, or Dulse*
CR YPTOGAMIA Algos.
Gen. Char. Seeds produced in clustered tubercles,
which burst at their summits.
Spec. Char. Frond membranous, palmate, smooth on
both sides: its segments oblong and nearly simple.
Syn. Fucus palmatus. Linn. Sp. PL 1630. Gooden. &
Woodw. Tr. o f Linn. Soc. v. 3 . 163. Turn. Syn. 175.
Huds.’57 9 . Hull. 3 2 1 . Light/. 9 3 3 . t. 27.
F. membranaceus ceranoides. Rail Syn. 46.
Ulva palmata. With. v. 4. 123.
N o t uncommon on the sea coast, particularly the western
parts of Scotland; nor is it less frequent in Wales and the
west and south of England. #
From a small callous disk spring one or more fronds, of a
dull brownish crimson uniform hue, which from a taper wedge-
shaped base are dilated into a broad flat form, soon cloven and
divided in a palmate manner. The segments are oblong, entire
at the margin, rather obtuse and often cloven at the tip.
Sometimes a variety occurs fringed in a proliferous manner
with small oblong or elliptical leaflets. The whole frond is
about a span high; the substance membranous, or somewhat
coriaceous, without rib or vein. The seeds are described as
lodged in gaping tubercles scattered on the surface; and from
Dr. Goodenough and Mr. Woodward having described the
seeds as sometimes dispersed over the whole frond, Dr. Withering
was induced to remove this sea-weed to the Ulvee.
It is eaten, as well as that in our following plate, by the Irish
and Scotch in various ways, and called Dulse or Dulish. In
Edinburgh it is sold in the markets, and eaten raw an hour or
two before dinner.