
MARINE AQUARIA 

to somewhat resemble a frond of the “Boston fern.” It usually grows to 
5 to 6 feet with instances of over 20 feet in length, and 1s of olive-green 
color. The young plants soon grow to 6 to 8 inches and are of delicate 
green and yellowish color. Rarely occurs south of Cape Cod, in both 
shallow and deep water, but sometimes found in the Gulf Stream drift. 
Fucus vesiculosus (Linn.) or Rock Weed, is common on submerged 
woodwork and rocks and is variable both in the size of the plant and of 
the fronds; but occurs to two feet in length. It is of leathery texture 
with flat fronds having numerous small air bladders on each frond and is 
fastened by disclike holdfasts. The color is olive-green in the younger 
plants and greenish-brown in the older growth. Occurs generally as far 
south as the Carolinas. 
Fucus nodosus (Linn.) or Knotted Sea Whistle, derives its name from 
the “knots” in the fronds produced by the larger air bladders. It is a 
stringy plant of rich olive-green color. The fronds are generally small and 
pinnate. Usually found associated with the foregoing. Other common 
Fuca are FP. furcatus, Forked Rock Weed; and the California Rock Weed, 
F. fastigatus. 
Sargassum vulgare (Ag.) or Gulf Weed, Sea Lentel, occurs principally 
in the drift of the sea on the coast. It has a disclike holdfast with a cen- 
tral stem and branching fronds, with the midrib distinct and crisped and 
toothed edges. The globular air vessels are set between the leaves on 
short stems. The plant grows below low-tide marks and is common along 
the Atlantic coast. 
Laminaria saccarhina (Lam.) or Oar Weed, Sugar Sea Belt, has an 
eight inch long stem and a flat base consisting of rootlike prongs. The 
stem expands into a wide, dark olive-green, leathery, thick and smooth 
frond, ruffled at the edges, 4 to 8 feet long and 6 to 12 inches wide. 
There are also a number of smaller varieties. Found in deep pools and 
below tide-marks south to Virginia. 
Laminaria flexicaulis (Le Jolis) or Sea Tangle, is somewhat similar to 
the above, but the frond is broader and divided into long segments; which 
together with L. Jongicruris, are popularly known as Finger Tangles. 
They usually grow in deeper water than the first named and may reach a 
length of ten feet. Sometimes found in the Gulf Stream drift. 
Stilophora rhizodes (Ag.) or Needle Weed, 1s a bristlelike filiform sea- 
weed with widely spreading irregularly forked branches and cylindrical 
fronds, with wartlike clusters of sphores which resemble chaplets of beads. 
It is of olive-green color and occurs below tide-marks from Cape Cod 
~ southward. 
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