MARINE FLORA OF THE PACIFIC COAST 

 forms. California possesses many relatively gigan- 

 tic forms of red algae. Porphyra nereocystis, for 

 example, grows to be ten or twelve feet long, and 

 membranous reds of two to four feet in length and 

 several inches to a foot in width are frequently 

 found. The West Coast shares with northeastern- 

 most Asia the exclusive possession of sea roses, the 

 most complex of all the red algae. They belong 

 to the genus Constantinea and are represented by 

 three species. The simplest, Constantinea simplex, 

 is not uncommon on the coast of central California, 

 C. subulifera, a branched ample form is found in 

 the Puget Sound region, while Constantinea rosa- 

 marina occurs in Alaska and the Sea of Ochotsk. 



Parasitic red algae are relatively abundant on 

 the west coast. The species of Janczewskia on 

 species of Laurencia and Chondria are frequent and 

 have been described and illustrated. Many others 

 are met with particularly on the coasts of southern 

 California. 



The Corallines, or calcareous red algae, are 

 abundant on the west coast and in a variety of 

 species and associations. The jointed forms or 

 true Corallines occur everywhere on rocky coasts, 

 both on exposed rocks ana in tide pools, while the 

 crustaceous forms, or "Nullipores," line tide-pools, 

 cover exposed rocks, and the interior of caves at 

 upper tide limits with their red, pink, and salmon 

 colored, smooth or variously tuberculate crusts. 



In the matter of collecting, it must be borne in 

 mind that the algae are largely attached to rocks 

 or to other rock-inhabiting algae. Consequently 

 rocky coasts are to be sought for in collecting. 

 Also, it is to be remembered that low tides are 

 practically the only favorable times for collecting. 

 The times of low tides may be learned from the 

 Pacific Coast Tide Tables issued by the United 

 States Coast and Geodetic Survey. In the tables 

 low water is given both as to date and hour, to- 

 gether with a statement of degree of lowness rela- 

 tive to mean low water. As a rule, only those tides 

 designated as below mean low water, that is, with 

 a minus sign, are profitable. Drift and wash, repre- 

 senting plants torn from their attachment, may be 

 found along beaches but are not always present. 

 Some beaches have little or none at any time, while 

 other beaches are usually fairly well supplied, 

 especially after blows or storms. As to localities 

 for collecting, space permits only a few to be men- 

 tioned. About Seattle, Channel Rocks, Friday Har- 

 bor and vicinity, Mats Mats Bay, near Port Ludlow, 

 and the region south of Port Townsend; about 



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