l86 Dr. GooDENOUGH and Mr. Woodward^ Obfervat'wns on 



from the S}Ji. Nat. and as this as well as the other references (except 

 thofe of Ray and Buddie) certainly belong to carti!<ig:/ieus Linn, or 

 Cape Fncus, it is impofTible to quote the Flora Anglka with any 

 degree of certainty. 



The whole plant is ftrongly cartilagineous; the principal branches 

 arc thickcft in the middle, and attenuated towards the fides, giving 

 them fomewhat of a two-edged form, and in the dried fpecimens 

 fomewhat of the appearance of a nerve ; but this vanilhes on being 

 held to a ftrong light. The terminating ramuU grow without order, 

 are linear, end obtufely, and are generally crowded. The angles 

 of the ramification throughout the whole plant arc very obtufe. 

 Thefe particulars fufficiently diftinguifh it from any of its conge- 

 ners with which it might be fuppofed to have any affinity. The 

 fru6lification confifts of globular tubercles, very minute, and appa- 

 rently fupported on peduncles, longer, equal to, or fhorter than 

 the tubercles. When filled with ripe feeds, thefe are nearly black. 

 The reft of the plant is reddifh purple, the terminating branches 

 paler "than the reft. 



Perhaps the tubercles ought, ftri£tly fpeaking, to be defcribed 

 feffile on the fides, or in the axillae of the fmall branches at the 

 extremity of the frond. But thefe fmall branches are almoft always 

 broken off by the agitation of the fea. Hence the tubercle is necef- 

 farily oftentimes terminal, and of courfe to all appearance pedun- 

 culated. We have feen many fpecimens, when on the point of pro- 

 ducing their tubercles, with their extreme branches pcrfeft, and in 

 this cafe the tubercles feflTile, as before obferved. F. gigartims ap- 

 pears to be afFeded by the like accidents. 



45. Fucus 



