30 J. H. PRICE, I. TITTLEY & W. D. RICHARDSON 



habitats ? It is also curious that (cf. Eddystone and Boscastle, Cornwall) one of those very few 

 records is from an area (Worm's Head, Gower; see below) of very considerable general exposure 

 to wave-action. 



Glamorgan 



Worm's Head, Gower: 



Herb. L. W. Dillwyn (BM). 



This undated specimen was probably collected in the very early 19th century. Worm's Head 

 itself is of firm rock, generally lacking detritus and exposed to seas of long fetch from the south- 

 west. Superficially, it seems an unlikely habitat for Padina, but there are one or two small areas 

 where low water level sand deposits have compacted onto the rock surface, providing the kind of 

 conditions under which the alga often grows. Along the northern edge of the 'causeway' out to the 

 island, muddy rocks emerge at low water. When searched, these rocks (SS 398873) did not reveal 

 Padina. A common associate of Padina, Taonia atomaria, was growing on the north side of the 

 'causeway'. Three other small bays with similar detrital 'Padina - conditions' [Fall Bay, Porteynon 

 Bay (south side), and Oxwich Bay (south side)] could loosely be described as Worm's Head. We 

 have been unable to examine these bays but (teste Drs Hayward and John) there are no recent 

 observations of Padina from the Gower. It must be accepted that Padina could have appeared 

 ephemerally on or near Worm's Head in the past; modern supporting data and specimens are 

 desirable. 



Pembrokeshire 



Tenby: 



ix.1930, Herb. R. Meinertzhagen (BM). 



This comparatively modern record is an enigma. Many eminent 19th century shore workers 

 visited Tenby, some (such as P. H. Gosse) many times and for long periods. None reported the 

 presence of P. pavonica. This is no basis for outright rejection of a specimen-backed record, but 

 there are other factors to be considered. Meinertzhagen collected marine algae widely here and 

 abroad. Careful analysis of some unusual Kent records (specimens) from the Meinertzhagen 

 herbarium has indicated that errors may well have occurred in the transcription of collection data 

 from rear to front of mount sheets; there is, however, no direct evidence of such error on the Tenby 

 specimen of Padina. Areas around Tenby (SN 145032) were examined carefully (1968, 1972) for 

 the 'pools at low tide' described by Meinertzhagen. The rocks throughout supported rather poor 

 growths of algae and nowhere could be detected the sort of conditions in which Padina could be 

 expected to appear. 



Anglesey 



General : 



Morison & Bobart (1699, 1715, 1738), ex Insula Anglesey (as Fucits maritimus Gallopavonis 

 pennas refer ens Bauhin). 



All the following entries are wholly or partly dependent on the original Bobart (1699) state- 

 ment, although Davies (1813) could have added original observations (see text for comments 

 on Davey, 1953): 



Dillenius in Ray (1724); Hill (1760); Hudson (1762; as Fucus pavonicus) ; Robson (1777); 

 Camden & Gough (1789; as Ulvapavonia); Davies (1813); Rees(l929;asP. pavonia); Davey 

 (1953), '. . . Ray; Dav.; R. W. P. [hillips] . . .'. 



Records for Anglesey seem to be extremely poorly authenticated. The only recent data 

 depend on the 'R. W. P.' in Davey (1953), which is not supported by Phillips own (1898) work or 

 herbarium specimens. Earlier records, traced back, all stem from Bobart (1699). As with the latter's 

 Cornwall record, so has that from Anglesey been long repeated without supporting critical studies. 

 There is as little real evidence for the existence at any time of Padina in Anglesey as there is for its 



