58 Ellen Marion Delf 



are, however, certain genera of green seaweeds which are found, 

 only in deep water or in pools near low water, during low spring 

 tides. On the west coast of the Cape Peninsula, Codium tomen- 

 tosum and C. Lindenhergi are specially frequent in this position. 

 On the east coast, Caulerpa Ugulata is also constantly submerged 

 in deep water in sheltered positions. The genus Cladophora has 

 representatives in both positions. It consists of a number of 

 branched green threads attached below to some substratum. Sev- 

 eral species are found in mid-tide pools, for example, C. flagelli- 

 formis, hospita and Eckloni; but two appear only in deep water, 

 C. rupestris, which forms dense green tufts in low tide pools, and 

 C. catenifera, which inhabits even deeper water, often far beyond 

 the tidal zone. It is not known how these plants find sufficient 

 light tc carry on the work of assimilation with only a green pig- 

 ment: there is no definite evidence, however, to show whether their 

 green pigment is identical with the chlorophyll of the higher plants, 

 or of the other green Algae. 



Below the pools which contain a predominance of the green 

 Algae, there are others where one may find a variety of red or red- 

 brovsTi forms. Amongst the conmionest on these coasts are certain 

 species of Cigartina. These are often accompanied by the whip- 

 like threads of the brown Alga, Chordaria; the large species is 

 C. capensis, the smaller C. flagelliformis. In the deeper water 

 we find the larger red seaweeds, and also the larger brown forms 

 such as the bamboo seaweed, Ecklonia buccinalis, and the stringy 

 fronds of Macrocystls pirifera. The last two are often quite 

 inaccessible, but at Camps Bay at certain spots they may be 

 reached at low tides. Ecklonia is characteristic of deep water 

 below tidal limits, and is often found extending towards the open 

 sea. Macroc^stis on the other hand is found in much more shel- 

 tered positions, often protected from the force of the wave*; by a 

 belt of Ecklonia beyond it. 



Both these plants are of some interest to the botanist. Ecklonia 

 buccinalis (named after Ecklon, one of the earliest collectors of 

 seaweeds on these shores) is a giant seaweed with a perennial 

 habit of growth. Its great stems reach a length of twenty feet 



