SEA-WEEDS. 



201 



BLADDER WRACK. 



(Fncus vesiculosus.) 



Among the same group is to be found a most singular rope-like marine plant, hardly 

 thicker than an ordinary pin at the base, where it adheres to the rock, but swelling to 

 the size of a large swanks-quill in the centre. When grasped by the hand it feels as 

 though oiled, being naturally slimy, and covered by innumerable fine 

 hairs. It is found from the length of one to twenty, thirty, and 

 even forty feet. It may be mentioned that sea-weeds have no true 

 roots, but adhere by discs or suckers. They derive their nourish- 

 ment from the sea- water, not from the rock or soil. 



Another sub-class of algce are named the Rkodospenns, or red- 

 seeded, and they are among the most beautiful known to collectors. 

 They are delicate, and some turn brown when exposed to too much 

 light. Above low water-mark may be found growing largish masses 

 of a dense, reddish, thread-like foliage, sometimes adhering to the 

 rock, and sometimes to the stems of the great Laminaria. This is 

 one of a large genus, Polysiphonia (" many-tubed "} the specific name 

 being Urceolata, or pitchered it is actually covered with little jars, 

 or receptacles of coloured liquid. 



" That popular author and extensive traveller, Baron Mun- 

 chausen/' says Mr. Wood, "tells us that he met with a tree that 

 bore a fruit filled with the best of gin. Had he travelled along our own sea-coasts, 



or, indeed, along any sea-coasts, and inspected 

 the vegetation of the waves there, he would have 

 found a plant that might have furnished him 

 with the groundwork of a story respecting a 

 jointed tree composed of wine-bottles, each joint 

 being a separate bottle filled with claret. It 

 is true that the plant is not very large, as it 

 seldom exceeds nine or ten inches in height, but 

 if examined through a microscope it might 

 be enlarged to any convenient size." The 

 scientific name of this marine plant signifies 

 the "jointed juice-branch." It may be found 

 adhering to rocks, or large seaweed, and really 

 resembles a jointed series of miniature red wine 

 bottles. 



The common coralline (Corallina officinalis) 

 is also one of the red sea-weeds, although long 

 thought to be a true coral. It is a curious 

 plant ; it deposits in its own substance so large 

 an amount of carbonate of lime that when the 

 vegetable part of its nature dies the chalky 

 part remains. When alive it is of a dark 



ULVA. purple colour, which fades when removed from 



146 



