ioS Dr. Goodenough and Mi\ Woodward'.? Obfervaiions on 



Linn. Sp. PL 1628. FL Ang, p. 572. Withering, vol. o r 

 p. 234. 



Habitat inter rejectamenta maris. 



Radix, callus explanatus — From pedalis et ultra ramofifTima, caulc 

 ramifque teretibus, frequentiflime retis inftar implicitis — Folia al- 

 terna, femlia, variant longitudine 1-2-3 uncialia; et latitudinem 

 modo vix linenrem, modo plulquam uncialem attinent, ideoque 

 nunc lineari-lanceolata, nunc lanceolata, et nonnunqu m ovali- 

 lanceolata dici poffmt, formam autem qualemcunque lanceolatam 

 femper confervant. Foliorum margines conflanter ferrati, ferratu- 

 ris acutis diftantibus — Rami, veficulis globofis pedunculatis, et 

 frequentiflime procelTubus ftyliformibus terminatis, femper vacuis, 

 veftiti funt — Ramuli fructificationem fuftentantes, axillares, panicu- 

 lati aphylli, tuberculis minutis quaquaverfum obfiti — Color recentis 

 plantae flavefcens, ficcatae purpureus, nigrefcens. 



This plant, fo well known by the name of Gulf-weed, to all per- 

 fons who navigate the Atlantic Ocean, is defcribed by Linnaeus as not 

 being fixed by any root, and being only found floating loofcly in the 

 fea. It does not appear that any perfon has hitherto detected it on 

 its native rocks, notwith (landing the immenfe quantities which are 

 conftantly feen between Europe and America ; but we have defcribed 

 the root on the authority of the fpecimen preferved in the Linnsean 

 Herbarium, and of Gmelin, who declares (p. 94), that he has in his 

 pofleflion fpecimens with fragments of the rock adhering, and 

 one on which part of the orbicular bafe remains. The fphaerical 

 veficles with which this fpecies always abounds, have been defcribed 

 as containing the fructification ; but thefe are always empty, and 

 are certainly only intended to give buoyancy to the plant, and to 

 enable it conftantly to remain on the furface of the waves. The 



a&ual 



