^jo CRYPTOGAMIA ALG^. 



our of the very extremity of the fegrnents, of 

 a chefnut colour, very large, broad, and convex. 

 ^« Sometimes the leaves are much narrower, and 

 more laciniated, in which ftate it is figured by 

 DilieniuSy t.^Z. f. 112. 

 And foine authors teach, that the edges of the 

 {eaves, when young, are unlced throughout, fo 

 as to be tubular and cylindrical ; in which cafe 

 the plant afTumes the appearance of a minute 

 dark brown, cihared or prickly flirub, about an 

 inch or two high, vtry n^iuch branched, and the 

 branches entangled together. Such a plant is 

 figured by DUknhis^ t. 17, /. 31. 

 But as we have feen this in frL}6lification, and be- 

 lieve it to be a diflind fpecies, we fhall rank 

 it in its proper place, under the divifion of L. 

 frulHulf)/:. 

 N. B. 1 he plant figured by DjlUnius^ /. 17./. 32, 

 and which is cited by Limi^eus as a variety of the 

 L. IJlafidicus, muU be a miftake, for we have 

 examined Dillemus\ Ipecimen, which correfponds 

 to the figure, and found it a very different fpe- 

 cies, belonging properly to the Jaft divifion of 

 this genus, and which we fhall dclcribe in order. 

 The L. IJlandicus is ufed both for food and phyfic* \ 

 The inhabitants of Iceland take a decodlion of 

 the frefh leaves in water, in the Spring fcafon, 

 to purge away noxious humours, which is faid 

 to operate powerfully. But, when dry'd, the 

 plant acquires a very different quality. The 



fame 



