Marine Plants on the N. E. United States. 31 



fer to L. Imigicrucis. This is a noble plant. Its stem is fre- 

 quently eight to twelve feet long, slender at the base as it springs 

 from its root of clasping fibres, it gradually widens upward to an 

 inch in diameter, where it is hollow or tubular, and thence taper- 

 ing to the apex, terminates in a broadly expanding oblong lan- 

 ceolate frond, beautifully waved at the margins and obtuse at the 

 termination. The colour of the stem is a pale yellowish brown, 

 and of the lamina a beautiful pale greenish oHve. I measured 

 one noble specimen which had attained to the dimension of 32 

 feet, the stem of which was one inch in diameter at its thickest 

 part, and the lamina about 2 feet in breadth. It is peculiarly a 

 North American species; and although it is found as far south as 

 Cape Cod, it is there much stunted in its growth, and very dif- 

 ferent in size and texture from specimens that are found on the 

 northern shores. In Europe it is scarcely known to grow beyond 

 the limits of the Arctic Sea, whence water-worn specimens occa- 

 sionally reach the coasts of Scotland, and the north of Ireland, 

 By the force of the waves it is frequently detached from its place 

 of growth, and its hollow stem enables it to float easily upon the 

 water. The greenish olive of its lamina shows that it requires a 

 good deal of sunlight to bring it to perfection ; that therefore it 

 may get as much of this element of its life as possible, its long 

 and hollow stem seems to have been provided. It is generally 

 covered with parasites both vegetable and animal. Some of the 

 more delicate deep sea plants will commonly be found growing 

 upon the lower parts of its stem. At Peak's Island I found 

 upon it the beautiful and delicate Delessaria alatciy and frequently 

 the stem was fringed along its whole length with Ectocarjpus 

 granulosus. Amateurs looking for deep sea plants, would do 

 well to direct their attention to the stems of drifted individuals of 

 this plant. The prevailing deep sea plants of this region are 

 Rodomela sub/usca, Delesseria simwsa, D. alata, and D. denii- 

 culata. The two former in great abundance, the two latter are 

 rather rare. Enthora cristata, the analogue of the European 

 Plocamium coccinium^ is among the most beautiful and common 

 that is driven on shore from the deep. Phyllophora memhrani' 

 folia is also found although by no means common. Ptilota serrata 

 and P. elcgans are frequently cast ashore in abundance. They 

 inhabit the whole northern shore, and abound in the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence. Growing upon Zostem marina I also found Ectocar- 

 pus siliculosuSj Poly svfhonia fibrillosa, and, Punctaria tenuissima. 



