The English flora - SeaweedAfrica

29'2 ALGM INARTICULATE. [Plocamium.
colour. This is the Dulse of the Scotch, who are very fond of it in ^
fresh and crude state. Lightfoot says, however, that they prefer it dried
and rolled up, when they chew it like tobacco for the pleasure arising
from the habit. This is the "saccharine Fucus" or Sol of the Icelanders,
the efflorescence of which has a sweetish and not disagreeable taste. It
is dried by the natives, packed down in casks, and used as occasion requires,
frequently cooked with butter. Cattle, sheep in particular, often
eat this species with eagerness, whence it has been called Fucus oviuus.
I follow the able author of the Algae Brit., in uniting the Fucus Samiensis
of Mertens with the Rkodomenia palmata, and indeed I have received
specimens from Mrs. Griffiths which are clearly intermediate. The
capsular fruit has been detected (by Professor Mertens) only on the var.
/3.
— —
See note to R. polycarpa, p. 290.
9. R. sobolifera, Grev. (proliferous Rkodomenia); frond membranaceous
shortly stipitate, stem filiform dividing into branches
which expand into flat dilated fronds much deeply and irregu-
larly cleft, the segments linear wedge-shaped laciniated at their
apex. Grev. Alg. Brit. p. 95. Halymenia ? sobolifera, Ag. Sp.
Alg. v. 1. p. 218.—Fucus soboliferus, Fl. Dan.— Turn. Hist.
Fuc. t. 45. E. Bot. t. 2133. Hook. Fl. Scot. P. II. p. 107.
On Lamhiaria digitala, shores of the Orkney islands. Mull of Galway,
Rev. Dr. Walker. Glenarm, Ireland, Dr. Drummond.— The nearest
ally of this is undoubtedly the var. /3. Samioisis of Rkodomenia palmata
: but it is much smaller, and the frond is marked with obscure but
larger reticulations.
—
Fructification unknown.
10. R. reniformis, (kidney-shaped Ilhodomenid); stipes very
short, frond simple or branched suddenly expanding into a
cartilagineo-membranaceous simple or proliferous entire lobed
or laciniated reniform or suborbicular frond, capsules and
granules scattered. Irudcea reniformis, Bory Halymenia
renif, Ag. Sp. Alg. v. 1. p. 201. Fucus reniformis, Grev. Alg.
Brit. v. 160. Turn. Hist. Fuc. t. 113. E.Bot. t. 2116.
Sea-shore, Isle of Wight, Miss Everett. Rocks, Budleigh and Torquay,
Mrs. Griffiths. Ilfracombe, Miss Hill. Cornwall, Mr. Rashleigh.
Miltown Malbay, Mr. Harvey. If.? Summer and Autumn.—Frond
sometimes 7— 8 'inches in length. The /3. of Mr. Turner scarcely deserves
to be mentioned as a var., for it may be seen gradually passing into the
more usual state of the species.— I have, at the suggestion of Mr. Harvey,
and with the consent of Dr. Greville, referred this plant to Rhodomenia.
It possesses the ternate granules; while the "immersed globules" of the
latter author are truly a capsular fruit, figured and described by-
Mr. Turner. Mrs. Griffiths finds both kinds of fructification at Torquay.
(Rhodomenia 7Wiiof Dr. Greville will here be found under the Genus
Gigartina).
27. Plocamium. Lamour. Plocamium.
Frond filiform, compressed, between membranaceous and
cartilaginous, fine pink-red, much branched, branches distichous
(alternately secund and pectinate). Fructification of 2 kinds :