the Briti/h Fucij with particular Defcripiwm of each Species, 157 



reach of human fight. Storms and tempefls, diflodging it from 

 its native bed, bear it in their uncontrollable violence to all the 

 ^ores of the knovvn world. 



F. bulbofui is a ^^X^xitfui generh — the di(k immediately aflumes an 

 inflated bulbous form — the bulb becomes covered with numerous 

 €xcrefcences, which require very minute inveftigation. The afcer- 

 tainment of its oeconomy in this particular, as alfo of its fru£lifica- 

 tion, would be a fubje£l of very curious enquiry. 



All plants produced from thofe rudiments of new branches ob- 

 fervable on the furface of mammUlofus^ rubens, &c. mufl: neceflarily 

 have a plain difcoid root, that being the caufe of their firft adhe- 

 fion. 



After all the pains we have taken to make our dcfcriptions com- 

 plete, we are aware that many fpecimens will be found apparently 

 much at variance with \\'hat we have aflerted. This arifes from 

 two caufes — from the mutilations which they fufFer from the violence 

 of the waves, or other injuries, and their growing nearer or more 

 remote from the deflux of frefh water. 



A very frequent efFeiSt of injury is the proliferous or reproductive 

 tendency which is thereby occafioned, and which often fo alters 

 the natural appearance of the plant, as to entirely difguife it to the 

 eye of an unpraclifed obferver. This is extremely frequent in 

 Y.finurjfus {rubens Fl. Ang.) when the membranous parts aie de- 

 ftroyed, and only the nerves or fibres remain, from which young 

 leaves are frequently feen to flioot in great abundance, giving it" an 

 appearance fo entirely different from that which it at firft had, that 

 it might eafily be fuppofed a different fpecics, did not the frequency 

 of this plant afford us an opportunity of feeing it in all its varyino- 

 forms. The F, rube7is {prclifer of i^ightfoot, crifpus Fl. Ang.) per- 

 haps owes fome of ' its appearance to this caufe; for the young 



Vou III, O plants 



