the Brit if j Fuel, with particular Defer iptiens of each Species. 205 



untur — From indi vidua 4 — 6uncialis, craflitie filj emporetici, teres, 

 filiformis ; primum fimplcx, dcin ramofa, ramis dichotomis faftigiaf 

 tis — In quibufdam plantis, ramorum apices breves, et in formam 

 ovalem, hinc concavam, illinc convexam dilatata? — In aliis, Frons 

 terminatur furcellis teretibus, incraffatis, uncialibus et fefquiuncia- 

 libus, mucilagine feminifera rcpletis — Color recentis plants nigro- 

 rubefcens, ficcatse nigerrimus. 



The plant now defcribed includes the two fpecies of ffigiatus 

 and furcellatus of Hudfon and Lightfoot — and fa/J. ; giatus and /3 of 

 Withering. But as the faftigi 'at us and furcellatus of Linnaeus are 

 now known to be different plants from either, we have thought it 

 proper to give the name cf lumbrkalis to this fpecies, after Gmelin 

 and the firft edition of Flora Anglica. 



The late Mr. Lightfoot doubted whether his fafigiatus and furcel- 

 latus were diftinct ; and we have pofitive proof that they are not to 

 be confidered even as varieties, having in our poffeflion a fpecimen 

 gathered from the beach at Yarmouth, in which both [are feen 

 arifing from the fame root, and in which the dichotomy of one 

 branch actually exhibits both forts. This difcovery has made it 

 very difficult properly to defcribe this plant, the terminations be- 

 ing fo very different under thefe varying circumftances. It feems. 

 however probable, that what has been called fafigiatus has not 

 really any fructification; for though thefe oval terminations have on 

 their concave fide a mucilaginous appearance, no feeds are ever ob- 

 ferved in them : but when the fwelling forks of the other are in a 

 mucilaginous ftate, the feeds imbedded in the mucilage are very ap- 

 parent. 



This fpecies differs from radiatus'm its fibrous root, the very acute 

 angles of the ramification, and in its fwelling pod-like extremities. 



It 



